tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86815905533797555172024-03-12T20:38:19.574-07:00Montreal Food PicturesVictorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-2553675128143635912016-11-20T05:53:00.000-08:002017-08-23T12:10:44.154-07:00Top 11 Bowls of Ramen in Montreal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bshdUtsS5nE/WDDz9dsO3UI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/J3xRfz0TFQkAAQyj-kFkDuJsDi-5AxKFwCLcB/s1600/best-ramen-montreal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bshdUtsS5nE/WDDz9dsO3UI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/J3xRfz0TFQkAAQyj-kFkDuJsDi-5AxKFwCLcB/s640/best-ramen-montreal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I wrote an article on the best ramen in Montreal for <a href="http://montreall.com/the-essential-guide-to-the-best-ramen-in-montreal/">montreall.com</a>. In that article, I gave an overview of the different types and styles of ramen available in Montreal. There are so much to cover on this topic that I took the time to write a follow-up post on my favourite bowls of ramen in Montreal. I don't believe there is such thing as the best spot for ramen in the city. Each ramen is unique; you won't find two bowls of ramen that look and taste the same thing. Some shops specialize in one particular type or style. Being a ramen fanatic, I tasted over 100 bowls of ramen throughout my travels. Now that winter is approaching, it's the right time to share with you my top 11 bowls of ramen in Montreal.</div>
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1. <b>Midnight "Hangover" Ramen</b> at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ottoyakitori/">Otto Yakitori</a></b> (Friday and Saturday after midnight)<br />
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This is the lightest ramen I have ever eaten. This restaurant specializes mainly in yakitori (Japanese brochettes) grilled over binchotan (Japanese charcoal). On Fridays and Saturdays, at the stroke of midnight, Otto Yakitori serves a shio-type ramen. It consists of clarified chicken broth, thin noodles provided by Ichifuku, grilled cha siu over binchotan, minced myoga (taste is between a shallot and a ginger), yuzu oil and nori. Here chicken bones are boiled for over 5 hours.<br />
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1441 rue St-Mathieu<br />
(514) 507-8886 <br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/otto-yakitori-izakaya-downtown" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Otto Yakitori Izakaya, Downtown and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Otto Yakitori Izakaya Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18337704/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SE9n8bkI2Ls/WDD1GOdyr-I/AAAAAAAAGTc/G2wiKbPfYdcx5Di8w6pvQaglMLmqY32VgCLcB/s1600/otto-yakitori-midnight-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SE9n8bkI2Ls/WDD1GOdyr-I/AAAAAAAAGTc/G2wiKbPfYdcx5Di8w6pvQaglMLmqY32VgCLcB/s640/otto-yakitori-midnight-ramen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Otto Yakitori</td></tr>
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2. <b>Tonkotsu Ramen </b>at<b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ramenplaza">Ramen Plaza</a></b><br />
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This few week-old spot specializes in tonkotsu-style broth located on Plaza St-Hubert. This is one well-balanced and complex bowl of tonkotsu ramen, one of the best in the city! The broth is boiled for 18 hours giving its thick and creamy consistency. Also, a cloudy white broth is a good indication of a rich pork flavour. For an extra dimension of flavours, maple-smoked bacon is infused into the broth that gives a pleasant smoky aftertaste. This ramen comes with torched pork belly, juicy pulled pork, soy-marinated egg, burnt garlic-sesame oil, pickled onions, wood ear mushrooms, scallions and nori.</div>
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6553 rue St-Hubert<br />
(514) 892-3625<br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/ramen-plaza-golden-square-mile" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Ramen Plaza, Golden Square Mile and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Ramen Plaza Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18409846/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramen Plaza</td></tr>
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3. <b style="font-family: inherit;">Daku Ramen </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">at</span><b style="font-family: inherit;">
<a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/01/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-tori-paitan-ramen.html">Schlouppe Nakamichi Bistrot</a> </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Limited quantity - 20 servings per day)</span></div>
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This place does a modern take on ramen. Unlike many ramen shops that use pork as their base, the daku ramen uses chicken bones simmered for over 7 hours. Their cha siu is cooked sous-vide and the ramen egg is infused in dashi (instead of the conventional soy-mirin-sake marinade). <br />
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Nakamichi also has a vegan ramen available on their menu. The broth is primarly made of shiitake mushrooms and kombu. A shoyu tare and a touch of curry powder are added to the broth.</div>
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2159 rue MacKay<br />
(438) 383-7650<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBZ-bXt8ozM/WDD11-Wu9TI/AAAAAAAAGTk/3itchtT25LwdDxfnS1w0JdyQJs593KzgQCLcB/s1600/nakamichi-daku-tori-paitan-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBZ-bXt8ozM/WDD11-Wu9TI/AAAAAAAAGTk/3itchtT25LwdDxfnS1w0JdyQJs593KzgQCLcB/s640/nakamichi-daku-tori-paitan-ramen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schlouppe Nakamichi Bistrot</td></tr>
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4. <b>Tan-Tan Men</b> at <b><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/03/ichifuku-ramen-101-in-downtown-montreal.html">Ichifuku</a></b><br />
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Ichifuku is one of the two ramen shops in Montreal that make their own noodles. It serves all the known classics (shio, shoyu, miso, tonkotsu) and a few special ones. What I really like is the tan tan ramen, inspired from the Sichuan specialty <i>dan dan mian</i>. It is ground pork cooked in spicy chili and sesame, then incorporated into chicken broth. Here toppings include wood ear mushrooms, snow peas and bean sprouts.</div>
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1925 rue Sainte-Catherine O. <br />
(514) 932-7227 <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ftho-AleKUQ/WDD2R494dfI/AAAAAAAAGTs/e-vW0OEkjdQli89kdNFtAY8mxGO4vCL0wCLcB/s1600/ichifuku-tantan-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ftho-AleKUQ/WDD2R494dfI/AAAAAAAAGTs/e-vW0OEkjdQli89kdNFtAY8mxGO4vCL0wCLcB/s640/ichifuku-tantan-men.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ichifuku</td></tr>
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5. <b>Neo Shoyu Ramen</b> at <b><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/kinka-izakaya.html">Kinka Izakaya</a></b>
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This is one of my favourite shoyu ramen. The broth is light and refined, made from fish bones and kombu simmered for 3 hours. Toppings include torched cha siu, fresh bamboo shoots, seaweed, scallions and nori.
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1624 rue Sainte-Catherine O. <br />
(514) 750-1624 <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinka Izakaya - Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/kinkaizakayamtl">@kinkaizakayamtl</a>. Courtesy of <a href="http://www.foodjunkiechronicles.net/">Stella Yu</a></td></tr>
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6. <b>Shoyu Ramen</b> at <b><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/01/kazu.html">Kazu</a> </b>(lunch only)<br />
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Most of us know by now how good the food at Kazu is. People might not know that it has a shoyu ramen on their menu only available at lunch. The broth uses primarily pork bones that are boiled overnight. It has a thick consistency packed with flavours. It is accompanied with thick noodles, thick slab of pork belly, fresh bean sprouts, seaweed, scallions and nori.</div>
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1862 Ste-Catherine O.<br />
(514) 937-2333<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cmEJwN5bs/WDFkfvmsvoI/AAAAAAAAGU0/d_0L_DjBF4IgH4wvmP6aFDJTMKYXTNzCQCLcB/s1600/kazu-shoyu-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L2cmEJwN5bs/WDFkfvmsvoI/AAAAAAAAGU0/d_0L_DjBF4IgH4wvmP6aFDJTMKYXTNzCQCLcB/s640/kazu-shoyu-ramen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kazu</td></tr>
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7. <b>Shoyu Ramen</b> at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/comptoirjaponais/">Marusan Comptoir Japonais</a></b> (Thursday and Friday evening)<br />
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Marusan is a donburi rice bowl/bento box spot during lunch time; it is turned to an izakaya on Thursday and Friday evening. The broth of their shoyu ramen does not use pork bones, rather it is a mix of dashi and pork meat. The broth is subtle in flavour on the first sip. As you continue eating, the taste of dashi and pork become more pronounced. Toppings include 65-degree egg, marinated chunks of pork shoulder, seaweed and scallions. </div>
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401 Notre-Dame O. <br />
(514) 289-1115<br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/marusan-comptoir-japonais-old-montr%C3%A9al" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Marusan Comptoir Japonais, Old Montréal and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Marusan Comptoir Japonais Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18323351/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPWNfJ80srk/WDD3vDgXuuI/AAAAAAAAGT8/vNAmVm8oxfseichy2yL-Oxl-X8k58HL9ACLcB/s1600/comptoir-marusan-shoyu-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iPWNfJ80srk/WDD3vDgXuuI/AAAAAAAAGT8/vNAmVm8oxfseichy2yL-Oxl-X8k58HL9ACLcB/s640/comptoir-marusan-shoyu-ramen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comptoir Marusan Japonais</td></tr>
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8. <b>Vegan Ramen</b> at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ramen9000/">Ramen 9000</a></b> a.k.a Dalla Rose (winter only)<br />
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Have you heard of an ice cream shop that serves ramen? Not any type of ramen... vegan ramen. I'm blown away by the complexity and depth of flavours. The broth is a mix of local soy milk, red miso and gochujang. The noodles are the thick white Chinese-kind. Toppings include "quick chi" (kimchi without fish sauce), shiitake mushrooms from Ontario, black sesame and scallions. For an extra cost, you can add tofu, soy-mirin-marinated egg and/or sous-vide pork belly. (Just to not mislead you, the last two toppings are not vegan).</div>
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4609 rue Notre-Dame O.<br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/dalla-rose-sud-ouest" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Dalla Rose, Sud-Ouest and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Dalla Rose Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18352959/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramen 9000</td></tr>
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9. <b>Tonkotsu Ramen</b> at <b><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/05/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu-ramen-montreal.html">Yokato Yokabai</a></b><br />
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I personally prefer tonkotsu that has a thick and creamy consistency like the one at Ramen Plaza. Others prefer broth that is thin and light like the one served at Yokato Yokabai. Here the pork bones are boiled for 12 hours. The ramen comes with thin straight noodles, soy-marinated egg, wood ear mushrooms, pork belly, bean sprouts, scallions and nori.<br />
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Their noodles are made downstairs, you can have a look through their window how the noodles are produced.</div>
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4185 rue Drolet<br />
(514) 282-9991<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7jaIoX-UYio/WDFeiRGb9nI/AAAAAAAAGUY/oBNctEdPcgsyzYIELVz4a06vBMtgKZ5mwCLcB/s1600/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7jaIoX-UYio/WDFeiRGb9nI/AAAAAAAAGUY/oBNctEdPcgsyzYIELVz4a06vBMtgKZ5mwCLcB/s640/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yokato Yokabai</td></tr>
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10. <b>Abura Ramen </b> at <b><a href="http://thazardmtl.com/">Thazard</a></b><br />
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Abura ramen is brothless. It consists of cooked thick ramen noodles mixed with flavoured oil and seasoned soy sauce. At Thazard, their abura ramen includes grilled choy sum, garlic soy, chili oil and aioli. You stir all the ingredients together before eating (like a bibimbap).</div>
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5329 boul. St-Laurent <br />
(514) 802-8899 <br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/thazard-plateau-mont-royal" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Thazard, Plateau Mont-Royal and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Thazard Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16641376/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bjBhWXZ-cSA/WDFe8D_h7LI/AAAAAAAAGUg/_IkUBparXnIWWNyiusHtGg-sC_vptVOhgCLcB/s1600/abura-ramen-thazard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bjBhWXZ-cSA/WDFe8D_h7LI/AAAAAAAAGUg/_IkUBparXnIWWNyiusHtGg-sC_vptVOhgCLcB/s640/abura-ramen-thazard.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thazard</td></tr>
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11. <b>Tsukemen </b> at <b><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/05/kinton-ramen-montreal-bishop.html">Kinton Ramen</a> </b>(summer only)<br />
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If ever you see tsukemen on the menu, order it! This style of ramen is not widely available here in Montreal. Kinton Ramen has it on their special menu available only during summer. Thick cold ramen noodles are served separately with hot dipping broth. The idea is simple: you dip the noodles into the broth as you eat. Here it is a shoyu broth. It comes with braised cha siu, nori, raw quail egg, grated daikon and scallions.</div>
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1211 rue Bishop <br />
(438) 387-6187 <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinton Ramen</td></tr>
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If you want to know more about ramen, I wrote in my reviews topics like: i. <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/05/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu-ramen-montreal.html">the art of making a tonkotsu broth</a>; ii. <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/01/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-tori-paitan-ramen.html">the importance of alkaline-type noodles</a>; iii. <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/03/ichifuku-ramen-101-in-downtown-montreal.html">the foundation of a good broth</a>; iv. <a href="http://montreall.com/the-essential-guide-to-the-best-ramen-in-montreal/">the different types and styles of ramen available in Montreal</a><br />
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<u>Update 07/01/2017</u><br />
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<b>Schlouppe Nakamichi Bistrot </b>is now serving<b> tsukemen - </b>only 10 portions available per day<br />
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The dipping broth is chicken-based with shoyu tare and yuzu peel. It is served with thick ramen noodles, wood ear mushrooms, soft-boiled egg and sous-vide cha siu. Once done, you can ask the chef to dilute the dipping broth so you can drink it afterwards.<br />
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Here is some <i>inside-information</i>. Normally, Nakamichi serves 10 portions for walk-ins. However, it can prepare more if you reserve by phone between 2pm-5pm, you can eat it at any time you want.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4H_GT3N22g/WHEY_jbcjAI/AAAAAAAAGhg/rdspXUPCp3AwNAuNtoOA1jOdpF2E5bEZQCLcB/s1600/P1370563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4H_GT3N22g/WHEY_jbcjAI/AAAAAAAAGhg/rdspXUPCp3AwNAuNtoOA1jOdpF2E5bEZQCLcB/s640/P1370563.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schlouppe Nakamichi Bistrot</td></tr>
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<br />Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com10Montreal, QC, Canada45.5016889 -73.56725599999998645.145911899999994 -74.212702999999991 45.8574659 -72.921808999999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-2011812114905942102016-05-19T22:00:00.000-07:002016-05-22T08:42:16.469-07:00Kinton Ramen 6 - Authentic, Slurpy Goodness in Montreal<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wktzitm-Cuw/Vzx3C6WP9vI/AAAAAAAAF18/iSBjV2OXB8cyrhTSxCC6n-RKnIB1Jy6ywCKgB/s1600/Kinton-Ramen-shoyu-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wktzitm-Cuw/Vzx3C6WP9vI/AAAAAAAAF18/iSBjV2OXB8cyrhTSxCC6n-RKnIB1Jy6ywCKgB/s640/Kinton-Ramen-shoyu-chicken.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Montreal has a shortage of authentic ramen restaurants. When I say authentic, I really mean the ones where chefs dedicate hours (and even days) to prepare a broth that is rich, creamy and full of flavours. I can only name three good ones in Montreal. Nothing has yet compared to the authenticity that I experienced in Toronto and Ottawa. After their successful launch of <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/kinka-izakaya.html">Kinka Izakaya</a>, the arrival of Kinton Ramen is a game changer. Once you taste their ramen, it will set the bar so high you won't go back to your go-to spots in Montreal. Kinton has five locations in Toronto itself, they now opened their sixth location here in Montreal on rue Bishop. I got the chance to experience first hand their new location. </div>
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Chef Aki Urata is the mastermind behind the Kinton Ramen franchise. He has learnt for over a decade the tools of the trade to concoct the perfect bowl. Here are a few things that you should know about their ramen:<br />
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1. The noodles are custom-made by their supplier and tailored to chef Aki's liking. Springiness, elasticity, thickness and curliness are all taken into consideration. You can choose between <b>thick</b> or <b>thin</b> noodles. <b>Gluten-free ramen noodles</b> are available.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Aki Urata portioning the ramen noodles</td></tr>
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2. They offer two broth bases - <b>pork</b> and <b>chicken</b>. The <b>pork broth</b> is simmered for 20 hours using pork belly, pork feet and pork heads. It has a rich and creamy consistency. The <b>chicken broth </b>(tori-paitan) is simmered for 8 hours using whole chicken, chicken feet, chicken wings, chicken skin. It is rich and complex yet lighter than the pork base broth. It's like chicken soup on steroids.</div>
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There are four choices of flavours - <b>original</b>, <b>shoyu</b>, <b>miso</b> and <b>spicy</b>. I recommend the <b>Original</b> for the first timers to sample the depth of flavours built into the broth. The three others are seasonings (or <i>tare</i>) to spice up the original broth. <b>Shoyu ramen</b> is soy sauce added to the Original broth. <b>Miso ramen </b>combines red, white and rice (koji) to give more body and complexity; it is one of the best miso-based broth I have eaten. For <b>spicy ramen</b>, the pork broth is enhanced with chili sauce and the chicken broth, with jalapeños.</div>
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3. The <b>chasiu</b> are thin slices of pork belly and pork shoulder that have been braised, marinated, and torched to order. The <b>chicken breast</b> is slowly poached to give a moist, melt-in-your-mouth feel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torched Pork belly and Pork shoulder </td></tr>
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4. The <b>ajitama</b> (ramen egg) is soft-boiled egg that has been marinated in soy sauce, mirin and sake. It has the right balance of sweetness and saltiness. The egg yolk is gooey and has a dark-yellow glossy color which are signs of a perfectly marinated egg.<br />
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5. For a few extra dollars, you can choose extra toppings such as nori, seaweed, jalapeño and... Swiss cheese.<br />
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6. Too hot outside? Go for the <b>cold ramen </b>- cold noodles, mixed vegetables and sesame dressing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Pork Ramen with extra chicken breast</td></tr>
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Not only do they serve ramen, they also offer tapas. The <b>gyozas</b> are stuffed with pork, then deep-fried. It is complemented with a creamy sweet chili sauce.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Gyoza</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I am a huge fan of </span><b style="text-align: justify;">takoyaki</b><span style="text-align: justify;">, the best ones I had were from <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/10/imadake.html">Imadake</a>. These ones are as good - lightly crisp outside, gooey and creamy inside. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)</td></tr>
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The chicken <b>karaage</b> is cooked to perfection. The key technique is in the double-frying so that the inside is moist and the outside, very crispy. This is complimented with a garlic mayo and a squeeze of lemon juice.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Karaage with Garlic Mayo</td></tr>
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One reason why Kinton Ramen is so popular is their reward program. Once you've finished your bowl of ramen to the last drop, you become a <b>Kinton Bowler</b>. You get one stamp on your reward card: Collect 10 stamps, you get 10 pieces of gyoza. Collect 100 stamps, you become a VIP Kinton Bowler - one free topping for the rest of your life! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Chicken (tori-paitan) with Swiss cheese</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I waited for years so that Montreal steps up their ramen game. With the recent opening of <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.com/2016/01/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-tori-paitan-ramen.html">Nakamichi</a>, <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/03/ichifuku-ramen-101-in-downtown-montreal.html">Ichifuku</a> and now Kinton, we can finally consider Montreal as a ramen destination. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LchHHXjG-oU/Vzx3ruvfofI/AAAAAAAAF2A/bV08lVwzUU0lhylp6T3vTeKvloQX4MXDgCLcB/s1600/Kinton-Ramen-chefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LchHHXjG-oU/Vzx3ruvfofI/AAAAAAAAF2A/bV08lVwzUU0lhylp6T3vTeKvloQX4MXDgCLcB/s640/Kinton-Ramen-chefs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Kinton Ramen 6</b><br />
1211 rue Bishop<br />
H3G 2E2<br />
438-387-6187<br />
<a href="http://www.kintonramen.com/">http://www.kintonramen.com/</a> <br />
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<b>Opening hours</b><br />
Mon - Sun: 11:30am-10:30pm<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/kinton-ramen-montreal" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Kinton Ramen, Golden Square Mile and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Kinton Ramen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18324344/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com51211 Rue Bishop, Montréal, QC H3G, Canada45.495948899999988 -73.5750282000000245.495905399999991 -73.575107200000019 45.495992399999984 -73.57494920000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-19643416503724074642016-05-03T09:04:00.001-07:002016-05-03T21:01:25.336-07:00North & Navy - A Memorable Taste of Venice in Downtown Ottawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMivTyLSzLc/Vxz6KxRAN_I/AAAAAAAAFyA/6JVIBV2s4JQKkpmwcBKScVnb9_t0QcOEQCLcB/s1600/north-and-navy-tamworth-pork-lenticchie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMivTyLSzLc/Vxz6KxRAN_I/AAAAAAAAFyA/6JVIBV2s4JQKkpmwcBKScVnb9_t0QcOEQCLcB/s640/north-and-navy-tamworth-pork-lenticchie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rarely do I write a second review about a restaurant, but North & Navy in Ottawa deserves a second review. It has been over a year since my last visit, the food is still as spectacular as my first visit (read review <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/03/north-and-navy-northern-italian-kitchen-ottawa.html">here</a>). The staffs are knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Going to North & Navy is like going to school, you learn a wealth of knowledge on Northern Italian cooking through their food and by talking to the staffs. I was dining alone on my last visit and went through their Cichèti and Primi sections of the menu. Now I brought my friend Ben so we can share and explore some dishes together. </div>
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From the Antipasti menu, we ordered the <b>Sardèle in Saór</b> - lightly seared sardines, white onions and fennel marinated in white wine and white wine vinegar. This preparation reminds me of ceviche in which the fish is "cooked" with citrus acid. The sardines are garnished with toasted pine nuts for crunch and golden raisins for sweetness. Our first bite was packed with bright, fresh and vibrant flavours - a great appetizer to start off our meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sardèle in Saór - sardines, white onion, fennel, golden raisins</td></tr>
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On the Primi menu, we went for two pasta dishes. The first is the <b>Bigoli in Salsa</b>. Bigoli is a pasta thicker than the size of spaghetti; it is made from a mixture of semolina and 00 flour. The word <i>salsa </i>is not in the sense of a spicy tomato sauce (tomato is not a commonly used ingredient in Northern Italian cuisine). <i>Salsa</i> here refers to the anchovies and white wine sauce, thickened with pasta water. From the picture below, it looks like a simple pasta garnished with a chiffonade of fresh parsley. A bite of this pasta delivers layers of flavours. You know a good pasta dish when the sauce adheres onto the pasta.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bigoli in Salsa</td></tr>
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Our next pasta dish is the chef's interpretation of <i><b>raviolo al uovo</b> - </i>one big ravioli with an egg inside. This is one technically challenging dish to master. The classic one is filled with ricotta and<i> </i>a raw egg yolk. The tricky part is to ensure the pasta is <i>al dente</i> while preventing the egg yolk from overcooking. Once you cut into the raviolo, the egg yolk oozes all over your plate. The dish by chef Adam Vettorel is a similar idea where it is stuffed with a light meaty mixture of braised short ribs and ricotta, and a 64-degree egg lies on top of the raviolo. The texture of the 64-degree egg is a custard-like white and somewhat firm yet runny yolk. This elevated version is served with drizzles of balsamic vinegar, puffed rye and fresh oregano. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Short Ribs & Ricotta Raviolo 'Al Uovo'</td></tr>
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The Secondi course consists of bigger and heavier portions of food. We opted for the <b>Tamworth Pork 'Lenticchie'</b> - pork 3-way (fennel sausage, pork belly slab, pork leg) served on a bed of beluga lentils and mirepoix. The fennel sausage was meaty and juicy, the pork belly was crisp with a well-rendered fat. The last pork item depends on what part of the pig if available. However, this was our least favourite item, it was tough and chewy to our taste. The star of the dish is the lentils cooked with mirepoix finished with a hefty amount of butter. It was so addictive, we could not stop eating.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berkshire/Tamworth Pork 'Lenticchie'</td></tr>
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Our favourite dish of the evening was the <b>Rabbit 'Porchetta'</b> - pancetta-wrapped rabbit loin first cooked sous-vide, then seared. These rabbit medaillons are so tender and juicy, they literally melt-in-your-mouth. The seared pancetta elevates the taste of the rabbit and the rich and flavorful rabbit jus binds all the elements together. The white polenta was light and smooth, the texture reminds me of grits. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbit 'Porchetta' with Braised Red Cabbage and White Polenta</td></tr>
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Our final course is from the Dolce menu. The <b>tiramisu</b> is the chef's family recipe. I have eaten plenty of tiramisu, I even have two tiramisu <a href="http://www.randomcuisine.com/2010/06/tiramisu.html">recipes</a> available on my other blog. This tiramisu contains no alcohol. The lady fingers are soaked in coffee, layered with whipped mascarpone cheese and topped with cocoa powder. It is light and creamy with a prominent taste of coffee than most tiramisus I have eaten.</div>
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You must end your meal with the <b>Giuseppe Luigi</b>, an elevated version of our humble Canadian-made dessert - Jos Louis. I ordered this on my last visit, this time it tasted much better. Even though it is the same dessert with the same components, the smallest details make a huge difference. The Giuseppe Luigi consists of two red velvet cakes filled with vanilla cream cheese and salted caramel, covered in dark chocolate sauce. The cakes are lighter and airier, and more chocolate sauce covering the cake. What makes this dessert even more decadent is the contrast of temperature between the hot chocolate sauce and the cold cakes.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiramisu and Giuseppe Luigi</td></tr>
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This is my second review of North & Navy - spectacular food, outstanding service. What can I say more? Reserve now and immerse yourself into the Northern Italian culture.</div>
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<b>North & Navy</b></div>
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226 Nepean St.</div>
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Ottawa, ON</div>
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613-232-6289</div>
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K2P 0B8</div>
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<a href="http://northandnavy.com/">http://northandnavy.com/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/north-navy-centretown" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about North & Navy, Centretown and other Restaurants in Ottawa"><img alt="North & Navy Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16666193/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com1226 Nepean St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0B8, Canada45.416968 -75.69869210000001719.894933499999997 -117.00728610000002 70.9390025 -34.390098100000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-33622966117798276522016-03-18T09:06:00.000-07:002016-04-07T00:32:36.431-07:00Ichifuku - Ramen 101 in Downtown Montreal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2015 was the year of izakayas, 2016 will be the year for ramen. I can safely say that the scene for <i>authentic</i> ramen is finally expanding in Montreal. In no time, we might expect to find a ramen spot where there is a long lineup like at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/01/kazu.html">Kazu</a>. I recently reviewed <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/01/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-tori-paitan-ramen.html">Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi</a>, a new ramen spot opened beginning January. About the same time is the opening of Ichifuku located on the same block as <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/05/sammi-soupe-dumpling.html">Sammi & Soupe Dumplings</a>, run by the same owner of Kabocha Izakaya. Ichifuku does not specialize solely in one type of ramen, but offers many of the known classics. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Karaage</td></tr>
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I cover many topics on ramen throughout my reviews - <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/05/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu-ramen-montreal.html">the art of making a tonkotsu broth</a> and <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2016/01/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-tori-paitan-ramen.html">the importance of alkaline-type noodles</a>. This time, I'll talk about the foundation of a good bowl of ramen - the broth. It can be made from one or a combination of bases: pork bones, chicken bones, fish bones, kombu, fatty meats, you name it. Depending on the type of ramen, it requires a minimum of 6 hours of boiling to impart the meaty flavour into the broth. At this stage, chefs will add <i>tare</i> to the broth which is the seasoning for ramen. Not only it adds a burst of umami, but also an element of sweetness, spiciness and/or sourness. There are three known types of <i>tare </i>- shio (salt), shoyu (soy) and miso (fermented soybeans). The complexity of the broth is provided by other common ingredients such as mirin, dashi, vinegar, sake, sesame oil, ginger, scallions, etc. The possibilities are endless.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tonkotsu Kuro Mayu (Black Garlic) Ramen</td></tr>
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I visited Ichifuku twice. I'm a huge fan of tonkotsu ramen. It's the only ramen where in general no <i>tare</i> is added. Flavours shine solely from the simmered pork bones. I haven't found a spectacular tonkotsu ramen yet in Montreal that replicates the porky taste that I had in Austin, Texas at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/08/ramen-tatsu-ya.html">Ramen Tatsu-ya</a>. On my first visit, I ordered the black garlic tonkotsu ramen - deep earthy taste from the garlic, crispness from the julienned wood ear mushrooms (kikurage), and tasty soy-marinated soft-boiled egg. However, I was not able to pick up the deep porky flavour that I'm looking for. It might be due to the fact that the black garlic oil overpowered the flavour of the broth.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Tonkotsu Ramen</td></tr>
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I had to revisit Ichifuku a second time and order the original tonkotsu without any additional seasoning to see if I can identify the porky flavour. A typical tonkotsu ramen broth should be thick, cloudy and milky white. However, this broth is golden light. A good indication of whether the tonkotsu broth has developed a rich porky flavour is in the simmering time. I was told by the staffs that it took 16 hours to prepare, typically it requires a minimum of two days of simmering. This tonkotsu broth was one-note and subtle; it lacks the deep porky flavour that I would expect in a tonkotsu. As for the other components, the slowly braised chashu is tender and flavourful. The noodles are thin with a light chew. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken Karaage Donburi</td></tr>
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For an additional $3-4, you can opt for a side of donburi (rice bowl dish) or gyoza. I love karaage - Japanese fried chicken that is cooked twice in oil to give its super-crispy exterior. I opted for the karaage donburi which is topped with grated daikon. The daikon gives a nice touch of freshness. However, it was served on top of the fried chicken which loses partially its crispy nature. The vegetarian gyoza is filled with smooth potatoes, ginger and napa cabbage. Not the best I have eaten, I personally feel the ginger has overpowered the taste of potatoes.<br />
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I also had a go at tasting my friends' ramen. The miso ramen is a chicken-based broth with added miso paste. It has the right amount of miso so it is not overly salty. It is served with the thick wavy noodles which is suitable for strong flavoured broth.<br />
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I also sampled the tan tan ramen. It's a take from the classic Szechuan dish - dan dan mian. It is a topping which consists of minced pork cooked in soy sauce, sesame, garlic, soy sauce and chili oil. This is served on top of the chicken broth. It has rich and bold flavour, not overwhelmingly spicy that you can still enjoy the rest of the ramen. This is my personal favourite!<br />
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After eating a hearty bowl of ramen, the best choice is to end the meal with a light dessert. The only available dessert is the almond tofu - firm, velvelty with a melt-in-your-mouth feel soaked in maple syrup. Simple and delicious!<br />
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All in all, Ichifuku is a good introduction to a variety of ramen. It does require several visits to get through all the ramen and distinguish the subtleties in each of the ramen. </div>
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<b>Ichifuku</b><br />
1925 rue Sainte-Catherine O.<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
H3H 1M3<br />
514-932-7227</div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/ramen-japonais-ichifuku-downtown" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Ramen Japonais Ichifuku, Downtown and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Ramen Japonais Ichifuku Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18250326/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com21925 Rue Ste-Catherine O, Montréal, QC H3H 1M3, Canada45.4926098 -73.58095370000000919.8375383 -115.06532870000001 71.147681299999988 -32.096578700000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-19214457365869207722016-01-15T23:34:00.000-08:002016-01-19T12:22:26.811-08:00Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi - Tori-Paitan Ramen near Concordia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2016 will be the year where they will be a growing number of ramen restaurants in Montreal. Ramen is not something that can be whipped up in matters of minutes. This is the instant-kind of ramen that you eat when you are on a budget. Japanese ramen is all about executing every element perfectly. We are talking about broth, noodles, protein, egg and garnishes. It requires hours of dedication and patience to concoct one perfectly balanced bowl of ramen. </div>
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Even up to this date, <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/01/kazu.html">Kazu</a> and <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/kinka-izakaya.html">Kinka Izakaya</a> still serve the best ramen in Montreal. However, these ramens are the shoyu type (soy-based). I haven't found a good spot that serves the other common types of ramen - shio (salt), miso and tonkotsu (pork bone). I got to experience those ramen in other cities. Some of my favourite ramen spots in Toronto are Hokkaido Santouka, Sansotei and Kinton Ramen. And in Ottawa, <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/02/ginza-ramen-tonkotsu-ottawa.html">Ginza Ramen</a> and Suisha Garden.</div>
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Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi is the newest ramen spot opened on Mackay. It serves mainly tori-paitan, a unique ramen that is different from the ones mentioned above. Unlike the other ramen that the broths are made from pork and fish bones (and sometimes shellfishes), tori-paitan is made out of chicken bones that have been simmered for at least 7 hours.</div>
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I went with my ramen buddy Carlos. We opted for the combo which includes: a rice bowl dish (donburi), ramen and dessert. For the donburi, we had the option of either ikura-sake (salmon roe & salmon chunks) or mentaiko-takana (spicy marinated cod roe & pickled mustard). At 7pm, they ran out of the first option. I opted for the second option. The mentaiko is salty and spicy, its texture resembles to a tartare. It is complemented with the sour pickled mustard. All these are eaten with warm rice and sprinkles of sesame seeds. Simple, a perfect harmony of flavours.</div>
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Now onto the ramen, there are 3 ramen on their menu. The first two (<i>daku</i> & <i>nouveau classique</i>) are tori-paitan, the main difference is the <i>nouveau classique </i>comes with a side of spicy miso. You can change the taste of your ramen as you progress eating. The last item is truffle soba - a vegetarian ramen. We haven't ordered this yet, we will definitely try it out on our next visit.</div>
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We both opted for the Daku tori-paitan ramen. The broth is subtle and milky. It has good depth of flavours and complexity that I'm looking for. The noodles are as important as the broth. The chef tends to choose the appropriate noodles for their ramen based on their texture, bounciness and the ability to cling to the broth. From my experience on eating ramen, I notice the straight thin noodles are used for subtle-flavoured broth. The thick wavy noodles are for rich flavourful broth. In this case, straight noodles are suitable for this tori-paitan ramen. </div>
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The cha siu is pork that is cooked sous-vide. It's a method used to cook food at a fixed temperature, preventing the meat from drying. As a result, it gives a juicy and tender texture. </div>
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The ajitama (a.k.a ramen egg) looks like a plain soft-boiled egg at first glance, but in fact, it is packed with umami flavour. Instead of marinating the egg in soy sauce, the egg is marinated in dashi (a mix of kombu and bonito flakes). As for garnishes, it is served with julienned wood ear mushrooms (kikurage) for crunch, green onions for freshness and black garlic oil for earthiness. Overall, it is a well-composed ramen.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daku Tori-Paitan Ramen - Sous-vide Cha Siu, Kikurage, Black Garlic Oil, Ajitame, Green Onions</td></tr>
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We ended our meal with homemade green tea custard ice cream. Not only there is cream, it also contains eggs that give its rich creamy texture. It is packed with matcha flavour - the best green tea custard ice cream I have ever eaten!</div>
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Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi is such a long name, that it might be difficult to remember. Their ramen is tasty, authentic and unique. In no time, there will be a long queue in front of their door. Already 2 weeks since their grand opening, we had to wait 15 minutes in line when we arrived at 7pm. This shows that the ramen scene is definitely lacking in Montreal. I was told by the owner JP that they will have tsukemen on their menu. It's a special type of ramen where the noodles are separated from its broth. Read <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/08/ramen-tatsu-ya.html">here</a> to know more about tsukemen.</div>
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This restaurant is still in infant stage. Even though the ramen tastes superb, the front-of-the-house needs improvements. </div>
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<b>Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi</b></div>
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2159 rue Mackay</div>
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Montreal, QC</div>
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H3G 2J2</div>
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438-383-7650</div>
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<b>Opening Hours (for January)</b></div>
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Tues-Sat: 12pm-3pm & 5pm-9pm</div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/schlouppe-bistrot-nakamichi-golden-square-mile" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi, Golden Square Mile and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="Schlouppe Bistrot Nakamichi Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18244026/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com12159 Rue Mackay, Montréal, QC H3G 2J2, Canada45.4974802 -73.5801854999999719.975445699999998 -114.88877949999997 71.0195147 -32.271591499999971tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-67731872695470153472015-10-09T13:26:00.004-07:002016-02-24T20:11:23.221-08:00MLT DWN - New Gourmet Grilled Cheese Spot in Plateau-Mont-Royal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8ss6mYdowU/VhS0NxI0_dI/AAAAAAAAFc8/It-3wDfdNKk/s1600/mlt-dwn-lasagna-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8ss6mYdowU/VhS0NxI0_dI/AAAAAAAAFc8/It-3wDfdNKk/s640/mlt-dwn-lasagna-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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How can grilled cheese be gourmet? This is the first question that popped up in my mind when I first encounter MLT DWN located inside Rideau Centre's new dining hall in Ottawa. In <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/mlt-dwn_14.html">my review</a>, I wrote <i>after eating the grilled cheese sandwich at MLT DWN, the taste and texture was hundred times better than the ones in Montreal. </i>I was hoping one day that MLT DWN's food will make its way to Montreal: it's original and it's a breath of fresh air for Montreal food scene! This hope has now become a reality when I got the invitation from co-owner Aly Moloo to go to the soft opening of their new restaurant on Mont-Royal E (close to métro Mont-Royal). </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8sDb2fzOIIU/VhS0cJDcJ1I/AAAAAAAAFdw/KMOs54t4AdQ/s1600/mlt-dwn-cheese-grater-lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8sDb2fzOIIU/VhS0cJDcJ1I/AAAAAAAAFdw/KMOs54t4AdQ/s640/mlt-dwn-cheese-grater-lights.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese Grater Lights</td></tr>
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MLT DWN serves more than just two pieces of bread and melted cheese. Think of any comfort food, you will likely see it sandwiched between two slices of bread. It's all about the experience of eating comfort food with your hands. Take for example the grilled sandwich in the picture below, it has literally all the elements that will remind you of lasagna - fresh pasta, house-made tomato basil sauce, spinach ricotta. The sandwich is pressed thin enough to taste the crispiness of the bread yet let all the components of the lasagna shine.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8ss6mYdowU/VhS0NxI0_dI/AAAAAAAAFcw/R9p74wfYwkM/s1600/mlt-dwn-lasagna-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8ss6mYdowU/VhS0NxI0_dI/AAAAAAAAFcw/R9p74wfYwkM/s640/mlt-dwn-lasagna-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lasagna - Spinach, Ricotta, Fresh Pasta, Tomato Basil Sauce, Provolone with White Garlic Bread</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Every ingredient used is fresh never frozen, and all the sauces are made in-house.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Ordering is simple, either you make your own sandwich in 4 easy steps (bread, cheese, toppings and sauce) or choose from their signature sandwiches. Once the order is placed, you can choose from three varieties of ketchup (next to the soda fountain) to use as a dipping for your sandwich - regular, spicy or pepper.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTl1TPrHHi8/VhS0N7CslII/AAAAAAAAFck/dXV-aTS5YmQ/s1600/mlt-dwn-beef-brisket-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTl1TPrHHi8/VhS0N7CslII/AAAAAAAAFck/dXV-aTS5YmQ/s640/mlt-dwn-beef-brisket-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Brisket - Caramelized Onion, Arugula, Provolone, Gruyère, Garlic Truffle Mayo on Rye Bread</td></tr>
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I have been to MLT DWN countless times in Ottawa. I have tried almost every item on their menu. I can tell you the grilled cheeses here are prepared to the same standard as the one in Ottawa. I could even say that it is even better.<br />
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I was with four foodie friends, Aly and his brother Rahim provided samples of their menu for us to taste and critique. We sampled 5 savoury grilled sandwiches, 2 sandwich desserts and a poutine. </div>
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Tomato soup and grilled sandwich are a wonderful combination. No doubt they would serve it on their menu. Their soup is a sophisticated version with roasted pepper and herb. It's smooth, flavourful with a noticeable hint of smokiness.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2PoKE9N99k/VhS0QE_8jZI/AAAAAAAAFdY/L_J6HI1nXsE/s1600/mlt-dwn-tomato-bisque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2PoKE9N99k/VhS0QE_8jZI/AAAAAAAAFdY/L_J6HI1nXsE/s640/mlt-dwn-tomato-bisque.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque and Waffle Fries</td></tr>
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This is the first time I ever saw waffle fries. It's crispy and enjoyable to eat. You can have it topped with melted american cheese. We all agreed that it needs a bit of kick to cut down the richness of the cheese.</div>
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The pulled pork sandwich was tender and juicy melded with sweet caramelized onions, melted aged cheddar and jalapeño jack. The BBQ sauce gives an extra layer of smoky flavour into the pork.</div>
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The beef brisket is one of my personal favourites. Rich, juicy slices of brisket elevated with garlic truffle mayo, combined together with melted provolone and gruyère cheese served on rye. Highly recommended!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWcEEGM6C68/VhS0O84fhZI/AAAAAAAAFdA/-KCU9JnMBdI/s1600/mlt-dwn-pulled-pork-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LWcEEGM6C68/VhS0O84fhZI/AAAAAAAAFdA/-KCU9JnMBdI/s640/mlt-dwn-pulled-pork-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulled Pork with Aged Cheddar, Jalapeño Jack, Caramelized Onions, BBQ sauce on Sourdough</td></tr>
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The westcoast melt is some of my friends' favorites. It's marinated herb chicken combined with the richness of avocado and chipotle aioli. The cheeses are havarti and ja<span style="text-align: justify;">lapeño jack. The spinach provides freshness to cut down the richness of the other ingredients. A perfectly-balanced sandwich!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap0Duq2_TbM/VhS0P9cJtDI/AAAAAAAAFdU/dplZAPD6ZuM/s1600/mlt-dwn-southwest-chicken-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap0Duq2_TbM/VhS0P9cJtDI/AAAAAAAAFdU/dplZAPD6ZuM/s640/mlt-dwn-southwest-chicken-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westcoast Melt - Jalapeño Jack, Havarti, Avocado, Marinated Herb Chicken, Chipotle Aioli and Spinach on Sourdough</td></tr>
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For only $13, you can opt for their lobster grilled sandwich. Nothing fancy, just a classic lobster roll sandwiched between two slices of white bread with brie and aged cheddar.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7jdBNh8rcY0/VhS0N8yTvoI/AAAAAAAAFco/AhLIP3-4UCo/s1600/mlt-dwn-lobster-grilled-cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7jdBNh8rcY0/VhS0N8yTvoI/AAAAAAAAFco/AhLIP3-4UCo/s640/mlt-dwn-lobster-grilled-cheese.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster with Aged Cheddar, Brie, Grain Mustard, Mayo, Tarragon on White Bread</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vjTfLDKEdvc/VhS0OqKZQ6I/AAAAAAAAFc0/EL33ySDn5x4/s1600/mlt-dwn-lobster-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vjTfLDKEdvc/VhS0OqKZQ6I/AAAAAAAAFc0/EL33ySDn5x4/s640/mlt-dwn-lobster-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster Grilled Sandwich</td></tr>
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Now onto the best part of the meal - desserts! You probably have heard of ice cream sandwiches, but have you ever heard of dessert grilled sandwiches? MLT DWN serves two types of dessert sandwiches - raspberry cheesecake and smores. </div>
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We all agreed that the raspberry cheesecake is the best. The sandwich is grilled for only one minute, as to keep the bread hot while the cheesecake filling is still cold. Absolutely divine!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y0vVE-FB4Ig/VhS0Pf3Av-I/AAAAAAAAFdI/sJg38cq7zyw/s1600/mlt-dwn-raspberry-cheesecake-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y0vVE-FB4Ig/VhS0Pf3Av-I/AAAAAAAAFdI/sJg38cq7zyw/s640/mlt-dwn-raspberry-cheesecake-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry Cheesecake, Graham Cracker Dust in Crème Brûlée French Toast Batter</td></tr>
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The s'mores sandwich has all the elements that remind you of campfire - graham cracker, marshmallow, chocolate chips and Nutella.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1fz5N2GM3MY/VhS0PTDHjBI/AAAAAAAAFdM/7UNgpwyiMLk/s1600/mlt-dwn-smores-grilled-sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1fz5N2GM3MY/VhS0PTDHjBI/AAAAAAAAFdM/7UNgpwyiMLk/s640/mlt-dwn-smores-grilled-sandwich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S'mores - Nutella Marshmallow, Chocolate Chips and Graham Cracker Dust in Crème Brûlée French Toast Batter</td></tr>
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After our meal, despite being full, Aly wanted us to try their signature poutine - waffle fries, cheese curds and all-beef gravy. The gravy was rich, thick and peppery. The taste of beef is prominent.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o8VXQgpqn7w/VhS0cFHUA6I/AAAAAAAAFds/LtqFYKvMVzw/s1600/mlt-dwn-beef-gravy-poutine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o8VXQgpqn7w/VhS0cFHUA6I/AAAAAAAAFds/LtqFYKvMVzw/s640/mlt-dwn-beef-gravy-poutine.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Gravy, Cheese Curds and Grid Fries</td></tr>
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MLT DWN is a great spot to satisfy your comfort food cravings or to get your grilled cheese sandwich fix. I'm so glad that they settle a location in Montreal. Despite the overwhelming number of restaurants in Montreal, gourmet grilled cheese is lacking in this city's food scene.<br />
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The restaurant will soon have the license to serve alcohol - both beers and wines. They have a hi-def TV to watch sport games and the playoffs. There are also power outlets on every table - a great place to work if you get tired of ordering coffee every time you go to a café.</div>
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Soon on their menu, they will have raclette and pumpkin spice sandwich available!<br />
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<b>Now that you have reach the end of this review, I will let you on a secret... MLT DWN has a secret menu. On your next visit, opt for their 'Underground' sandwich. It's poutine inside a grilled sandwich. Feeling adventurous?</b><br />
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<b>Update 24/02/2016</b><br />
<b>Here are more items from the secret menu of MLT DWN</b><br />
<b>'The Other 4 Cheese' - Havarti, Herb Goat Cheese, Smoked Gouda, Jalapeno Jack</b><br />
<b>'Double Deck' - Double Grilled Sandwich</b><br />
<b>'Chocolate Cheesecake'</b></div>
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<b>MLT DWN - Montreal</b><br />
837 ave. du Mont-Royal E.<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
H2J 1W9<br />
514-524-0822<br />
<a href="http://mltdwn.com/">http://mltdwn.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/mlt-dwn-plateau-mont-royal" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about MLT DWN, Plateau Mont-Royal and other Restaurants in Montreal"><img alt="MLT DWN Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18107786/minilink" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com2837 Avenue du Mont-Royal E, Montréal, QC H2J, Canada45.5263619 -73.58079020000002445.5263184 -73.580869200000024 45.526405399999994 -73.580711200000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-91898906388626800552015-08-10T10:06:00.003-07:002015-08-14T07:16:49.244-07:00Brunch at Ludger - Seasonal Menu and Cocktails in St-Henri<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ludger is close to some of the well-known historical buildings in Montreal. The Atwater market, the St-Henri fire station, the St-Zotique church and many others were built in the early 1900s by Quebecer architect, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludger_Lemieux">Ludger Lemieux</a>. It's an appropriate name for a restaurant to honour Saint-Henri's rich heritage.</div>
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Ludger's food is simple yet modern, and their menu changes seasonally. It is famous for their tasty cocktails available in the evening as well for brunch. It has a beautiful 30-seat terrace on the side of the restaurant. Perfect for enjoying a meal on a nice sunny day.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DkJkF-L8w/VceE8yORpBI/AAAAAAAAFYs/lk8kK6lMDxo/s1600/ludger-brunch-lobster-egg-benedict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lobster Egg Benedict - Brunch St-Henri Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1DkJkF-L8w/VceE8yORpBI/AAAAAAAAFYs/lk8kK6lMDxo/s640/ludger-brunch-lobster-egg-benedict.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster Egg Benedict with Caviar, and Fried Potatoes</td></tr>
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Being an avid food photographer, I always sit at the brightest spot in the restaurant, It just happened that we were sitting next to the window where food was served to the customers sitting on the terrace. I managed to take some decent shots of the items on their brunch menu. From the look of the lobster egg benedict, it is something worth ordering on our next visit. It comes with generous chunks of lobster and lobster claw, topped with two types of caviar.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9c4anH9uiI/VceE80hGBYI/AAAAAAAAFY0/qmmO0aMAVvk/s1600/ludger-brunch-fruits-and-pancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fruits and Pancakes - Brunch St-Henri" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9c4anH9uiI/VceE80hGBYI/AAAAAAAAFY0/qmmO0aMAVvk/s640/ludger-brunch-fruits-and-pancakes.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancakes with Fruits and Whipped Cream</td></tr>
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I had the ricotta gnocchi with peas, mushrooms (shimeji, shiitake & oyster), veal jus topped with a panko crust. This dish does not look like a typical brunch dish, but it was tasty. The gnocchi was light and soft, not at all gummy. The veal jus was rich, peppery and flavourful. The mushrooms were well seasoned so that the nuances between each one of them are noticeable. The panko crust gives a nice textural element. Despite being addictively delicious, it needed a touch more acidity, and a side of salad or bread to alleviate the richness of the dish.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ly1Jh5rn33s/VceE8-IlTHI/AAAAAAAAFYw/_n0soqsRK8M/s1600/ludger-brunch-ricotta-gnocchi-mushroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ricotta Gnocchi Panko - Brunch Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ly1Jh5rn33s/VceE8-IlTHI/AAAAAAAAFYw/_n0soqsRK8M/s640/ludger-brunch-ricotta-gnocchi-mushroom.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricotta Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Peas, Veal Jus and Panko</td></tr>
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My friend had the pork rillette. It is served with a perfectly poached gooey egg, crisp fried potatoes, a refreshing endive-apple salad and fresh fruits. The rillette is comprised of chunky pieces of pork infused with spices and aromatics. It was full of flavours, one of the best I have tasted so far.</div>
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We didn't save room for desserts, but we did save rooms for pies as we want to go to <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/rustique-pie-kitchen.html">Rustique Pie Kitchen</a> after our brunch, about 5 minutes of walk.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8cLuYT4mY1M/VceE9pRb_mI/AAAAAAAAFY8/r7mzz16slu4/s1600/ludger-brunch-rillette-endive-salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8cLuYT4mY1M/VceE9pRb_mI/AAAAAAAAFY8/r7mzz16slu4/s640/ludger-brunch-rillette-endive-salad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Rillette with Poached Eggs, Endive-Apple Salad</td></tr>
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Overall, we were satisfied of our dining experience. When food is cooked simple, we expect perfection. They did a good job of having the flavours spot on. Ludger is now part of my top brunch spots in Montreal.</div>
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<b>Ludger</b><br />
4001 Notre-Dame O.<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
H4C 1R2<br />
438-383-3229<br />
<a href="http://www.buvetteludger.com/">http://www.buvetteludger.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/ludger-sud-ouest" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Ludger on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16640479/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <br />
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<b>Opening Hours</b><br />
Mon-Wed: 5pm-12am<br />
Thurs: 5pm-1am<br />
Fri: 5pm-3am<br />
Sat: 10:30am-3pm, 5pm-3am<br />
Sun: 10:30am-3pm</div>
Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com04001 Rue Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC H4C 1R3, Canada45.4779127 -73.584434845.4778697 -73.5845138 45.477955699999995 -73.5843558tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-74391778559924911932015-08-09T00:07:00.000-07:002015-08-12T14:33:50.103-07:00Sumac - Colorful Middle Eastern Food in St-Henri<div style="text-align: justify;">
Saint-Henri was once the home of a bountiful number of bars and fast-food joints. In recent years, an emerging number of eateries are opening their business to bring some lights in this <i>depressing</i> area. Sumac is the name of a Middle Eastern spice, and its colour is transcribed into their logo. It is co-owned by Raquel Zagury, formerly at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/prohibition.html">Prohibition</a> and David Bloom. You might or might not know this. The two other Bloom brothers owned several businesses further west of Sumac - <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/04/best-pastry-tasting-montreal-mcgill-fencing.html">Rustique Pie Kitchen</a>, Tuck Shop, Tejano BBQ Burrito, to name a few.<br />
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I had lunch with my friend from <a href="https://unvoyagegastronomique.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/sumac-rustique-must-visits-in-st-henri/">Un Voyage Gastronomique</a>. We arrived just after opening, and we were first one to order. The menu is simplified into three categories - pitas, platters or family-style plates. You can either order falafel, chicken shawarma, beef kefta or sabich. Both of us opted for platters as they come with two choices of salads, pickled radishes, hummus, tahini and pita bread.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AEtbZbnQHxg/Va0E5xhSvCI/AAAAAAAAFVw/KMydWjrCx5A/s1600/sumac-montreal-sabich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AEtbZbnQHxg/Va0E5xhSvCI/AAAAAAAAFVw/KMydWjrCx5A/s640/sumac-montreal-sabich.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabich Platter with Spiced Carrots & Red Cabbage Slaw</td></tr>
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I had the sabich with spiced carrots and red cabbage slaw. Sabich consists of chunks of roasted eggplant and hard boiled egg, combined with pickles, tahini and amba (mango condiment). The eggplant was soft and flavourful, not at all watery. It complements well with the sweet flavours of the mango and honey from the amba. The spiced carrots provide loads of flavours with the cumin, currants and parsley. The pita was warm and pillowy, spiced with a kick of za'atar. Hummus is difficult to criticize because we have our preference of what a good hummus should taste like. I have eaten several versions of hummus prepared by my Middle-Eastern friends, all of them are unique. The one at Sumac was thick and granular for my taste. I prefer smooth with a touch more acidity.</div>
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My friend opted the falafel platter with cooked salad and quinoa. The falafel is made of chickpea mixed with herbs and spices. An ideal falafel should have a crispy-thin exterior crust, and the interior is light and moist. The one here is not the best I have eaten. The exterior crust was quite thick, and the interior was dense. The cooked salad comprises of slow cooked tomatoes mixed with roasted red peppers. It was naturally sweet and addictive. The quinoa was fragrant not at all bitter, but it was a bit underdone. We were offered a Yemenite hot sauce called s'rug (or shug), it's made primarily of hot peppers, coriander, garlic and other spices. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--70OXLpNRRY/Va0E5_J0SpI/AAAAAAAAFV0/SteC5D9uoII/s1600/sumac-montreal-falafel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--70OXLpNRRY/Va0E5_J0SpI/AAAAAAAAFV0/SteC5D9uoII/s640/sumac-montreal-falafel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falafel Platter with Cooked Salad and Quinoa</td></tr>
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Sumac is a nice addition to Saint-Henri providing Middle-Eastern fares to locals and workers. Be sure to arrive early, because at the stroke of noon, the place is packed, you might have a hard time finding a seat as it is on a first-come-first-serve basis. Take-outs are welcome.</div>
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<b>Sumac Restaurant</b></div>
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3618 Notre-Dame O.</div>
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Montreal, QC</div>
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H4C 1P5</div>
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514-935-1444</div>
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<a href="http://www.sumacrestaurant.com/">http://www.sumacrestaurant.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/sumac-restaurant-sud-ouest" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Sumac Restaurant on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16641251/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
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<b><br /></b><b>Opening Hours</b><br />
Sun-Mon: Closed<br />
Tues-Fri: 11:30am-10pm<br />
Sat: 3pm-10pm</div>
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Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com03618 Rue Notre Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC H4C 1P5, Canada45.4795208 -73.5808589000000145.479474800000006 -73.580937900000009 45.4795668 -73.58077990000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-39456530542072398242015-07-25T10:59:00.000-07:002015-07-25T17:58:53.464-07:00Le Cochon Caché - A Porchetta Menu by Marco Barone in Villeray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZdeYI0daWs/Va0JQQOc0oI/AAAAAAAAFWk/JwLRpNzEuDg/s1600/le-cochon-cache-villeray-porchetta-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Porchetta Platter with Rapini and Potatoes - Villeray Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZdeYI0daWs/Va0JQQOc0oI/AAAAAAAAFWk/JwLRpNzEuDg/s640/le-cochon-cache-villeray-porchetta-1.jpg" title="" width="640"></a></div>
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Le Cochon Caché, located in Villeray, has created a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and social media. I love eating out at places like this where I can learn something new, places where it serves food that I wouldn't normally cook at home. Being a recipe blogger and developer on Random Cuisine, I'm constantly on the search of perfecting recipes. To achieve perfection, it's to learn from others. I acquire a great deal of food knowledge from talking to chefs and staffs ever since I started this blog. Perfecting a recipe requires tweaking the fine details that will make a dish a standout. </div>
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Le Cochon Caché is very small restaurant. It can barely fit more than 10 people inside. It is owned by chef Marco Barone who had worked for Gordon Ramsay in London. He was the head chef of Vinizzia, then Hostaria as well as the co-founder of FreshMint, a gourmet delivery service. I had a chance to talk to Chef Noah while he was preparing my meal. He has worked alongside with Marco for over 10 years. I learn a lot about the making of their porchetta as he was describing with passion the techniques and preparation involved. Porchetta is not an easy art, it looks like simple rolled pork but I can guarantee you that it is not as simple as it looks.<br>
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The porchetta is composed of pork shoulder and pork belly that are twined and marinated for 24 hours. It is then roasted for 2 1/2 - 3 hours depending on its size. The key step lies in the resting time. The longer it rests, the juicier the pork is. This applies to all meats. It is served with a homemade salsa verde. Their version is chopped by hand. The end result is a cross between a gremolata and pesto. The salsa verde is prepared with good-quality olive oil infused with a handful of mint, basil, parsley, sage, garlic and salt. It's a perfect complement to pork.<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtHmqx1YkMQ/Va0JQWQYT9I/AAAAAAAAFW0/K5R9U1x8eLc/s1600/le-cochon-cache-villeray-porchetta-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Porchetta Platter with Rapini and Potatoes - Villeray Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EtHmqx1YkMQ/Va0JQWQYT9I/AAAAAAAAFW0/K5R9U1x8eLc/s640/le-cochon-cache-villeray-porchetta-2.jpg" title="" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porchetta Platter with Rapini and Roasted Potatoes</td></tr>
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We ordered the porchetta platter which comes with a side of roasted potatoes and rapini. Since their restaurant is a few blocks away from Parc Jarry, it's a great spot to enjoy our meal, especially on a sunny day. For only $12, the portions are quite generous. The pork was moist and succulent, you can taste the difference of texture from the pork shoulder and pork belly. The salsa verde gives a nice vibrant and fresh flavours to the protein. There are tiny pieces of pork cracklings that give a lovely element of crunch. The rapini is full of garlicky flavours and the potatoes are roasted nicely with crisp exterior. It's a nice hearty meal!</div>
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If you are craving for porchetta (or pork in general), it's definitely worth a trip to Villeray. I'll definitely be back to try out their porchetta poutine and porchetta sandwich.</div>
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<b>Le Cochon Caché Porchetta Comptoir Gourmand</b></div>
7901 avenue Henri-Julien<br>
Montreal, QC<br>
514-507-8700<br>
<a href="http://www.cochoncache.com/">http://www.cochoncache.com</a><br>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/le-cochon-cach%C3%A9-montr%C3%A9al" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Le Cochon Caché on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17840079/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;"></a><br>
<b><br></b><b>Opening Hours</b><br>
Daily: 11am-8pmVictorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com27901 Avenue Henri Julien, Montréal, QC H2R 2B9, Canada45.5405544 -73.626958520.018519899999998 -114.9355525 71.0625889 -32.3183645tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-7304923139299387982015-07-21T16:03:00.000-07:002015-07-24T19:05:14.670-07:00Brunch at Pastaga - Creative French Menu by Martin Juneau<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">
Before heading for ice cream at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/07/monsieur-cremeux-ice-cream-martin-juneau-little-italy.html">Monsieur Crémeux</a>, we had a brunch at Martin Juneau's famed restaurant - Pastaga. His restaurant made it on the top 10 of enRoute magazine in 2012. The food has influences from a broad range of cuisines with a French twist. It's the type of restaurant where you appreciate the effort and creativity in preparing each plate. It is said that when chefs know their techniques, they make amazing dishes. Pastaga is a good example.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D24g-NA3CuM/VavC3dWfgCI/AAAAAAAAFUo/Qr0MxBqE4Tw/s1600/Pastaga-Brunch-Smoked-Fish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D24g-NA3CuM/VavC3dWfgCI/AAAAAAAAFUo/Qr0MxBqE4Tw/s640/Pastaga-Brunch-Smoked-Fish.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoked Salmon Cake, Ranch, Fennel and Hard-Boiled Egg</td></tr>
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My friend Jess had the house-smoked salmon cake. When I think of fish/crab cakes, I think of three small pieces of cakes. Here it is massive, almost the size of a hockey puck. On the first bite, the fish was moist with punches of smokiness and a golden crisp panko coating. It is complimented with a generous smear of tangy ranch sauce and thinly shaved fennel to help cleanse the palate along with hard-boiled egg and crisp potatoes. It's a perfectly composed dish with variant texture and flavours.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1wgC0l0mMk0/VavC2TeTjgI/AAAAAAAAFUg/f5x_JEv5Q_8/s1600/Pastaga-Brunch-Pulled-Pork-Egg-Benedict.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1wgC0l0mMk0/VavC2TeTjgI/AAAAAAAAFUg/f5x_JEv5Q_8/s640/Pastaga-Brunch-Pulled-Pork-Egg-Benedict.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulled Pork Benedict, Spicy Hollandaise, 64°C egg on Scone</td></tr>
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I had the pulled pork egg benedict. The pork is drenched in a homemade BBQ sauce served on top of flaky scone. The pulled pork was juicy and full of smoky flavors that made us go back for more. It is served with a perfectly made 64°C egg. What does it mean? Sous-vide cooking has made the life of chefs easier preventing them from overcooking or drying the food. The doneness of say steak depends on its internal temperature. Independent of how long you cook the meat for a given temperature, the meat will never overcook. Egg is one of these marvelous ingredients. The proteins of egg yolk and egg white coagulate in a predictable way for a specific temperature. A change of 1 degree can modify considerably the final result. You can read all about it on Modernist Cuisine at Home. At 64-65°C gives a firm creamy egg - loose white and gelatinous yolk. </div>
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Overall, I would rather spend money on the chef's creativity rather than paying for eating an expensive ingredients. Pastaga is worth all the hype. Both dishes are well thoughout and very balanced. After our brunch experience, we will definitely try out their dinner menu. </div>
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I would spend money on the chef creativity rather than paying for expensive ingredient.</div>
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<b>Pastaga</b><br />
6389 boul. St-Laurent<br />
H2S 3C3<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
438-381-6389<br />
<a href="http://www.pastaga.ca/">http://www.pastaga.ca/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/pastaga-montreal" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Pastaga on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16639235/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <br />
<br />
<b>Opening Hours</b><br />
Mon-Wed: 5pm-10pm<br />
Thu: 5pm-12am<br />
Fri: 12pm-12am<br />
Sat: 10am-12am<br />
Sun: 10am-10pmVictorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com06389 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2S 3C3, Canada45.5300291 -73.60783040000001220.0079946 -114.91642440000001 71.0520636 -32.299236400000012tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-51427653884478101752015-07-16T18:48:00.000-07:002015-08-14T07:10:07.880-07:00Honey Town | 满糖记 - Hong Kong Desserts in Chinatown Ottawa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6TLrjSW6DE/VahSt_XjpPI/AAAAAAAAFS0/QLF4eLZIsLY/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-mango-desserts-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mango Dessert - Hong Kong Desserts" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G6TLrjSW6DE/VahSt_XjpPI/AAAAAAAAFS0/QLF4eLZIsLY/s640/honey-town-ottawa-mango-desserts-2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ottawa, prepare yourself for the first ever Hong Kong-style dessert spot in Chinatown. The menu has over 100 desserts to choose from. You read this right! Ken and his wife from the late Wontonmama and two other owners are the minds behind the concept of Honey Town. Some staffs from Ginza Ramen and Tao are now working here. </div>
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Hong Kong is a mecca of dessert shops. Their desserts are recognized to be light, refreshing and healthy. Unlike Western countries, desserts tend to be heavy on sugar and carbs. The most common Cantonese desserts are called tong sui (糖水) which literally translates to sugar water. It includes warm custard, light syrups and warm dessert soup. Since childhood, I'm raised eating these classics - tofu pudding (豆腐花), milk custard (燉鮮奶), sweet dumplings (tangyuan 汤圆), sago (西米露), red bean soup (紅豆汤) and black sesame soup (芝麻糊). During the hot days, there are a bountiful of cold fruity desserts. They are made from a variety of tropical fruits - mango, coconut, papaya, pomelo and durian. Not only Honey Town is a dessert bar, they also serve savory dishes like pork buns, Taiwanese beef soup, dim sums and soup dumplings (xiaolongbao 小籠包).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3DV02VFj4I/VahSunh6zBI/AAAAAAAAFTI/Da_Yzow9gd0/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-xiaolongbao-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Soup Dumplings - Chinese Food Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3DV02VFj4I/VahSunh6zBI/AAAAAAAAFTI/Da_Yzow9gd0/s640/honey-town-ottawa-xiaolongbao-2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S20 - Shanghai Soup Dumplings (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: justify;">鲜肉</span><span style="text-align: justify;">小籠包)</span></span></td></tr>
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I love ordering Taiwanese popcorn chicken - small marinated chicken with a thin crispy batter. What makes them addictive lies in the use of five spice powder. It hits all the notes that I would expect in these little snacks - crispy, not at all greasy, perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper and five spice.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ACw8Gz7GKY/VahStwjUeoI/AAAAAAAAFTE/iM9pvMpe-Ek/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-taiwanese-popcorn-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken - Chinatown Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9ACw8Gz7GKY/VahStwjUeoI/AAAAAAAAFTE/iM9pvMpe-Ek/s640/honey-town-ottawa-taiwanese-popcorn-chicken.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S9 - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken <span style="font-size: x-small;">(<span style="text-align: justify;">台湾鹽酥雞)</span></span></td></tr>
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Next comes an order of xiaolongbao a.k.a soup-filled dumplings. It requires finesse to make these. Each dumpling contains at least a tablespoonful of soup along with the meat. Every Asian has their own way of eating these bags of soupy goodness. They are not like your typical dumplings in which you can put it in your mouth immediately. I usually lay one on my spoon, add a few drops of red vinegar, poke a hole to release the juice and enjoy. The soup is savory and flavourful. My only complaint is that the size of the soup dumplings are inconsistent as you can see in the picture.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L_d7ESVCaqk/VahSu9g_ZkI/AAAAAAAAFTM/JvBZOuEOXBc/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-xiaolongbao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Xiao Long Bao - Soup Dumplings Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L_d7ESVCaqk/VahSu9g_ZkI/AAAAAAAAFTM/JvBZOuEOXBc/s640/honey-town-ottawa-xiaolongbao.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S20 - Shanghai Soup Dumplings<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (<span style="text-align: justify;">鲜肉</span><span style="text-align: justify;">小籠包)</span></span></td></tr>
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Mango is my all-time favorite fruit. This dessert brought back memories of my trip to Hong Kong. There is this chain restaurant called <a href="http://www.hkhls.com/">Hui Lau Shan</a> (許留山), all their desserts are made with mangoes. This dessert from Honey Town is a good example. On their menu, it's written <i>Mango Cream Paste with Mango Pudding and Mango Ice Cream (T12). </i>In fact, there are more mango goodness in this order than what it is written - six elements to be exact. It has mango sauce, mango sorbet, mango ice cream, mango pudding, fresh mango cubes and pomelo pulps. This dessert is mango heaven! Every component has its own texture, flavour and temperature. Every time we go back for a spoonful, you will taste something different. This what makes this dessert fun and intriguing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6Gq8wvZkKM/VahSt6nKWWI/AAAAAAAAFS8/qz1u50AeQSM/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-mango-desserts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mango Dessert - Cantonese Tong Sui Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6Gq8wvZkKM/VahSt6nKWWI/AAAAAAAAFS8/qz1u50AeQSM/s640/honey-town-ottawa-mango-desserts.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T12 - Mango Cream Paste with Mango Pudding and Mango Ice Cream <span style="font-size: x-small;">(<span style="text-align: justify;">芒果神冰)</span></span></td></tr>
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On my second visit, I got to try three more items on their menu. </div>
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The durian pancake looks like a colorful pillow. It consists of a crêpe made with tapioca starch that gives a smooth and delicate texture and a filling made of simply whipped cream and fresh durian. Durian is the King of Fruits, some people like the pungent stinky smell, and some don't. The moment it arrives at your table, you can smell the durian without getting close to it. However, this dessert felt quite flat. It's not what I remembered when I had it in <a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWn_vVHgpLhimUyGIjx05-fdCUR3LUCtNaL4daWySvMIzSUoqXyvEpIXw">Singapore</a>. The filling was warm and I can see gaps inside the <i>pillow</i>. The crêpe is quite dry to my taste.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpIllnm42Bg/ValSY3qisUI/AAAAAAAAFTk/bfHMXQyiO6w/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-durian-pancake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Durian Pancake - Hong Kong Dessert Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GpIllnm42Bg/ValSY3qisUI/AAAAAAAAFTk/bfHMXQyiO6w/s640/honey-town-ottawa-durian-pancake.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T2 - Durian Pancake (榴莲班戟)</td></tr>
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We are tempted to go for the classic pork belly steamed bun. I opted for the braised beef with kimchi. The bun was warm and pillowy, the chunks of beef contains loads of flavours of soy, star anise and five-spice. It is drizzled with hoisin and garnished with kimchi and lettuce for freshness. The only challenge is that the moment you grab hold of the bun, the filling falls apart.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-REVEm9_tTFE/ValSZWzNtLI/AAAAAAAAFTo/Ey6y0PAFmE4/s1600/honey-town-steamed-bun-braised-beef-kimchi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Braised Beef and Kimchi Bao - Steamed Buns Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-REVEm9_tTFE/ValSZWzNtLI/AAAAAAAAFTo/Ey6y0PAFmE4/s640/honey-town-steamed-bun-braised-beef-kimchi.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S3 - Braised Beef and Kimchi Bao (韩国泡菜牛肉包)</td></tr>
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The Hong Kong milk custard is difficult to art to master. It is made with milk and egg whites, some people uses cornstarch. When done to perfection, it has the texture of a flan. Here they did to perfection, exactly as I remembered from my trip to Hong Kong. I had with red beans which give a contrasting element of sweetness and earthiness. A must order!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xQf4Mt5xFa0/ValSZYx2iTI/AAAAAAAAFTs/r39-vGjLTTU/s1600/honey-town-ottawa-milk-custard-red-bean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xQf4Mt5xFa0/ValSZYx2iTI/AAAAAAAAFTs/r39-vGjLTTU/s640/honey-town-ottawa-milk-custard-red-bean.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C9 - Milk Custard with Red Beans (红豆双皮奶)</td></tr>
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Black sesame is another classic Hong Kong warm soup that is believed to keep hair black if one drinks it often. Not many of my friends like black sesame. It has a toasted nutty taste yet not too sweet. I ordered with the almond paste. It has nice flavours and it complements well with the black sesame.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Peng0iXvomw/Vas4Oftp1oI/AAAAAAAAFUI/_YAjAU3wjs0/s1600/honey-town-black-sesame-almond-paste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Black Sesame Almond Paste - Hong Kong Ottawa Dessert" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Peng0iXvomw/Vas4Oftp1oI/AAAAAAAAFUI/_YAjAU3wjs0/s640/honey-town-black-sesame-almond-paste.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C14 - Black Sesame Soup with Almond Paste (芝麻糊配杏仁茶)</td></tr>
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This is my fourth visit to Honey Town. I'm officially addict! This time I have friends from Montreal visiting me. They absolutely love the mango dessert.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9V3ayGmzOY/Vax2BZiQ8ZI/AAAAAAAAFVA/oBR0K9sPcfs/s1600/honey-town-mango-desserts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v9V3ayGmzOY/Vax2BZiQ8ZI/AAAAAAAAFVA/oBR0K9sPcfs/s640/honey-town-mango-desserts.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">T12 - Mango Cream Paste with Mango Pudding and Mango Ice Cream </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(<span style="text-align: justify;">芒果神冰)</span></span></td></tr>
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I opted for the ginger milk custard. It looks bland at first sight, but when you have a spoonful, the taste of ginger is prominent but not too overpowering. Highly recommended! Be warned that it takes 20 minutes for them to prepare. You can look at the result below - it's warm and silky smooth like tofu.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eaUMROsPfdg/Vax2BW4yeXI/AAAAAAAAFVE/ypq3j80u4gE/s1600/honey-town-ginger-milk-custard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eaUMROsPfdg/Vax2BW4yeXI/AAAAAAAAFVE/ypq3j80u4gE/s640/honey-town-ginger-milk-custard.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C6 - Ginger Milk Custard (薑撞奶)</td></tr>
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This is my 5th visit to Honey Town and I can't get enough of it. This time, I brought Zomato community manager, Samantha. I can say she loved it. From now on, I'll let the pictures do all the talking. The food is simply addictive. You definitely have to order their 5-spice tofu, it's crisp and full of flavours. The steamed bun is still light and pillowy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXfdrMfn-1Y/VbGmrWM2AsI/AAAAAAAAFXc/VcNrw3S1U8o/s1600/honey-town-five-spice-tofu-steamed-bun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="5-spice tofu steamed bun - hong kong bao" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXfdrMfn-1Y/VbGmrWM2AsI/AAAAAAAAFXc/VcNrw3S1U8o/s640/honey-town-five-spice-tofu-steamed-bun.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S4 - 5-Spice Tofu Bao (五香豆腐包)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8lyGsb8SDV8/VbGmrYyybjI/AAAAAAAAFXg/Dg7lp1kjgnc/s1600/honey-town-pork-belly-steamed-bun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8lyGsb8SDV8/VbGmrYyybjI/AAAAAAAAFXg/Dg7lp1kjgnc/s640/honey-town-pork-belly-steamed-bun.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S1 - Original Pork Belly Bao (原味台湾割包)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPzXj06BS0w/VbGmshcP9BI/AAAAAAAAFX0/V3nICNNHI7s/s1600/honey-town-pork-siumai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MPzXj06BS0w/VbGmshcP9BI/AAAAAAAAFX0/V3nICNNHI7s/s640/honey-town-pork-siumai.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S15 - Pork Shumai (豬肉烧卖)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oMMZw8BAB6c/VbGmrUQzbgI/AAAAAAAAFXk/4QO1oXoZ7tE/s1600/honey-town-pork-dumplings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oMMZw8BAB6c/VbGmrUQzbgI/AAAAAAAAFXk/4QO1oXoZ7tE/s640/honey-town-pork-dumplings.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">S11 - Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings (鮮肉鍋貼)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y975W7MCC58/VbGmsYRBcfI/AAAAAAAAFXw/b0Ij7RMy67s/s1600/honey-town-vanilla-ice-cream-strawberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y975W7MCC58/VbGmsYRBcfI/AAAAAAAAFXw/b0Ij7RMy67s/s640/honey-town-vanilla-ice-cream-strawberry.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T23 - Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries (雪山草莓)</td></tr>
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We used to have a tong sui shop like this in Montreal on Ste-Catherine W., sadly it closed down. I'm glad I get to experience this in Ottawa. I have this plan to visit at least 10 times Honey Town before I move back to Montreal. I'll definitely be back to try their Sweet Dumplings in Ginger Syrup, Steamed Egg, etc. - classic desserts that bring back some of my childhood memories and my trip in Hong Kong.<br />
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One last note. It came to my attention from talking to some Instagrammers about Honey Town, it seems the making of the desserts depends on whom prepares it. I agree with them. I tried on different days and time of the week, the preparation of food is inconsistent. I found that the tastiest and consistent desserts are on weekends after lunch. You can have a look at both of the pictures of the mango desserts (T12).</div>
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<b>Honey Town | 满糖记 渥太華最好的甜品</b><br />
710 Somerset Street W.<br />
Ottawa, ON<br />
K1R 6P5<br />
613-680-8100<br />
<a href="http://www.honeytown.ca/">http://www.honeytown.ca</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/honey-town-chinatown" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Honey Town on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16542344/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> <br />
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<b>Opening Hours | 营业时间</b><br />
Sunday-Thursday: 11:30am - 10pm<br />
Friday-Saturday: 11:30am - 11pmVictorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com2710 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P5, Canada45.4106799 -75.70730989999998445.4104609 -75.707624899999985 45.4108989 -75.706994899999984tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-70544770029313887602015-07-13T00:56:00.000-07:002015-07-26T15:44:37.942-07:00Monsieur Crémeux - Ice Cream Parlor by Martin Juneau in Little Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Martin Juneau, a great chef is no stranger in the Montreal food scene. He made several appearances on TV - judge of Et que ça saute!, guest judge of the first episode of Les Chefs - La Brigade, contestant of Chopped Canada. He owns a few establishments at the corner of St-Laurent and Beaubien E. - the affamed restaurant Pastaga, the new Cul-Sec - Cave et Cantine, and Épicerie Le Petit Coin. Next door to the grocery shop is the location of his ice cream parlor, Mr. Crémeux. Sounds familiar? You sure have encountered their food truck at <a href="http://cuisinederue.org/les-premiers-vendredis-2/">Les Premiers Vendredis</a> at Parc Olympique.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfV5Mx6GCQ4/VaQhpAlzEBI/AAAAAAAAFR8/nHtP7aB4v6w/s1600/monsieur-cremeux-strawberry-rhubarb-ice-cream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MfV5Mx6GCQ4/VaQhpAlzEBI/AAAAAAAAFR8/nHtP7aB4v6w/s640/monsieur-cremeux-strawberry-rhubarb-ice-cream.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream with Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce and Butter Crumble</span></td></tr>
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What's so special about this ice cream spot compared to <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/08/kem-coba.html">Kem CoBa</a> and <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/07/la-diperie.html">La Diperie</a>? It plays on textures and balances of flavours. It's a vanilla soft-served ice cream served in a cup with predetermined combinations of toppings. No need to figure out what topping goes best with what. They already figure them out for you. You can opt for the caramel sauce with pretzel and peanut crumble or even better, chocolate sauce with a chocolate crumble. All the sauces and crumbles are homemade. You can also stick to the classic vanilla-chocolate twist on a waffle cone or have it in the form of a milkshake.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BMOhMC2563Q/VaQhp9YkMGI/AAAAAAAAFSM/SjeOO9J5H6s/s1600/monsieur-cremeux-vanilla-chocolate-twist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BMOhMC2563Q/VaQhp9YkMGI/AAAAAAAAFSM/SjeOO9J5H6s/s640/monsieur-cremeux-vanilla-chocolate-twist.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Vanilla-Chocolate Twist on Waffle Cone</span></td></tr>
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I went to Mr. Crémeux twice in one week. Their topping combinations are interesting and attractive enough to try them all. My first visit was after my brunch at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/07/brunch-pastaga-french-menu-martin-juneau.html">Pastaga</a>, I had the lemon curd, graham crumble and soft meringue. It has every element that reminds us of a lemon meringue pie. My second visit was after my lunch at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/07/le-red-tiger-best-vietnamese-food-pub-menu-village.html">Le Red Tiger</a>, I ordered the strawberry-rhubarb compote with butter crumble. It has the right balance of tartness and sweetness that make us fall in love with this classic flavour combination. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRt66vE6_9g/VaQhp5Uu2EI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/KO_DMQKqi_U/s1600/monsieur-cremeux-lemon-meringue-ice-cream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wRt66vE6_9g/VaQhp5Uu2EI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/KO_DMQKqi_U/s640/monsieur-cremeux-lemon-meringue-ice-cream.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Ice Cream with Lemon Curd, Graham Crumble, Meringue</span></td></tr>
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Which one is the best ice cream spot in Montreal between Kem CoBa, La Diperie and Monsieur Crémeux? It's a difficult choice. They are unique in their own way that makes them all on equal plain field. Luckily, these three ice cream parlours are far from each other. No need to struggle on where to get ice cream if I crave for one. I'll just go to the nearest one.</div>
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<b>Mr. Crémeux</b><br />
43 Beaubien E.<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
H2S 1P7<br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/monsieur-cr%C3%A9meux-saint-%C3%A9douard" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Monsieur Crémeux on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16541593/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
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<b>Opening Hours</b><br />
Mon-Wed: 1pm - 10pm <br />
Thu-Sun: 1pm - 11pmVictorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com143 Rue Beaubien Est, Montréal, QC H2S 3A7, Canada45.5307927 -73.60811560000001920.0087582 -114.91670960000002 71.0528272 -32.29952160000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-49283724935365938892015-07-10T02:17:00.001-07:002015-07-15T21:46:44.893-07:00Le Red Tiger - Best Vietnamese Street Food Menu in the Village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rETAyCwJ2R0/VZ1v3LD-67I/AAAAAAAAFQs/AMhww97jRyw/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-shrimp-spring-roll.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cha Tom Shrimp Spring Rolls - Vietnamese Food" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rETAyCwJ2R0/VZ1v3LD-67I/AAAAAAAAFQs/AMhww97jRyw/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-shrimp-spring-roll.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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In Montreal, we have this mindset that Vietnamese cuisine is all about pho, spring rolls and bahn mi. It's like saying that Japanese food is all about sushi. With the recent opening of numerous <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/kinka-izakaya.html">izakayas</a> and <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/05/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu-ramen-montreal.html">ramen shops</a> in the city, you know this statement is no longer true. Because of the growing foodie trend in Montreal, we are more open to try new flavours that are unfamiliar to the Westerners' palate. Le Red Tiger has opened its doors to Montreal to try out the many facets of Vietnamese cuisine. The food that the three owners with Vietnamese roots grew up eating. The head chef and his wife used to work at <a href="http://www.kaijisushi.com/">Kaiji Sushi</a>. </div>
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Le Red Tiger is a Vietnamese pub, conveniently located on boul. de Maisonneuve E., a few minutes of walk from métro Beaudry. It's the perfect spot to enjoy authentic Vietnamese street food with a pint of beer. We went for lunch on Thursday, the restaurant was packed around 1pm. Most diners came in without a reservation.</div>
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We started off with the green papaya. It is a mixture of julienne papaya, toasted peanuts, thai basil and fried shallots. The vinaigrette is a star anise infused soy sauce served inside a plastic bag. You can add a squeeze of lime juice for acidity and Thai chilies for heat. The papaya salad has lots of contrasts of flavours and textures that make us go back for more. The papaya was fresh and crisp, not at all soggy. The vinaigrette is very well-balanced that it blew my palate away. Simply addictive. I can boldly say that it is the best papaya salad in Montreal. I even asked the waitress for the ingredients in the vinaigrette. My friend loved so much that he ordered one for take-out. As a side note, you can order this salad with <i>thit kho bo</i>, a vietnamese beef jerky.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qhLNEg9etVk/VZ1v1mTkeQI/AAAAAAAAFQo/aFJ4tyFPVNU/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-papaya-salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Green Papaya Salad with Soy Sauce Star Anise Vinaigrette - Vietnamese Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qhLNEg9etVk/VZ1v1mTkeQI/AAAAAAAAFQo/aFJ4tyFPVNU/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-papaya-salad.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Papaya Salad with Soy-Star Anise Vinaigrette</td></tr>
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I was quite excited to try their <i>beignet de crevette</i> spring roll. It's a reinterpretation of the classic vietnamese shrimp spring roll. Typically, it consists of rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and few pieces of shrimp. Here it uses a Vietnamese staple as the filling - <i>cha tom</i>, a grilled grounded shrimp patty. It is loaded with generous amounts of lettuce, coriander, mint and thai basil along with cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon. There is also a strip of deep-fried spring roll wrapper that gives an additional textural element. All the ingredients are wrapped in rice paper. It comes with an earthy and complex tamarind dipping sauce <span style="text-align: center;">(Nuoc Nam Me)</span>. The spring roll provides burst of freshness from all the vegetables, and the patty being grilled provides maximal shrimp flavour. All the components work so well together. Simply writing this review makes my mouth waters. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfEOpYdgMWE/VZ1v2I8FgFI/AAAAAAAAFQw/9S74V7Guxdc/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-shrimp-spring-roll-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cha Tom Spring Roll with Tamarind Dipping Sauce" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfEOpYdgMWE/VZ1v2I8FgFI/AAAAAAAAFQw/9S74V7Guxdc/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-shrimp-spring-roll-2.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrimp (Cha Tom) Vietnamese Spring Roll with Tamarind Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Nam Me)</td></tr>
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When ordering a main, it comes with a small side of their weekly special soup. We had the beef and tofu soup with chili oil. It was subtle, smooth and aromatic. It feels like a palate-cleanser.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaInIrJHQaY/VZ1vxQFpO6I/AAAAAAAAFQM/zhvGbYkOxfU/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-beef-tofu-soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Vietnamese Beef Tofu Soup - Village Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaInIrJHQaY/VZ1vxQFpO6I/AAAAAAAAFQM/zhvGbYkOxfU/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-beef-tofu-soup.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Tofu Soup</td></tr>
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We probably are familiar by now with banh mi, a vietnamese sandwich - the ones you get in Chinatown for only $2. Le Red Tiger moves away from the traditional fillings. We made a special request to try two fillings in one order. The first is the ginger-onion chicken garnished with cilantro, pickled daikon and carrots. Simple flavour and delicious.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEbcLpebgro/VZ1vxlr-CkI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/KkYouFSoMMc/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-ginger-onion-chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ginger Onion Chicken Banh Mi - Vietnamese Montreal" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEbcLpebgro/VZ1vxlr-CkI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/KkYouFSoMMc/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-ginger-onion-chicken.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger-Onion Chicken Banh Mi</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The second is filled with a slab of </span><i style="text-align: justify;">nem nuong</i><span style="text-align: justify;">, a grilled Vietnamese sausage recognized by its pinkish colour. It's made of a mix of ground pork and pork fat marinated with fish sauce and aromatics. The pork fat makes the </span><i style="text-align: justify;">nem</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> moist and flavourful. It gives a crisp brown caramelization when grilled. We highly recommend ordering the <i>nem</i> because you won't find it in any restaurant in Montreal. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkWyCISxIWQ/VZ1v1RmFMFI/AAAAAAAAFQg/rilJ6oDmbYY/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-nem-sausage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nem Nuong Sausage Banh Mi - Vietnamese Pub Food" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkWyCISxIWQ/VZ1v1RmFMFI/AAAAAAAAFQg/rilJ6oDmbYY/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-nem-sausage.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally, there is nothing more street food than a plate of rice with proteins and a side of salad. We had the chicken cooked with ginger and onion. Simple food, loaded with flavours of fish sauce, onion and ginger. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B41-nWmFm58/VZ1vxhgVt4I/AAAAAAAAFQU/Wl7DMHwhnyo/s1600/le-red-tiger-viet-food-ginger-chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ginger Onion chicken with Rice - Vietnamese Street Food" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B41-nWmFm58/VZ1vxhgVt4I/AAAAAAAAFQU/Wl7DMHwhnyo/s640/le-red-tiger-viet-food-ginger-chicken.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger-Onion Chicken with Rice</td></tr>
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Vietnamese cuisine is rich in flavours with loads of freshness. Le Red Tiger does a great job in showcasing some Vietnamese staples. Even though the choices on their lunch menu is limited, I'll definitely be back to try out their dinner menu. I'm especially excited to try out their balut. When I love a place, I'll bring many of my friends and convince them how amazing the food is. I can tell you it's the best Vietnamese street food I have eaten in Montreal.<br />
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<b>Le Red Tiger</b><br />
1201 Blvd De Maisonneuve Est<br />
Montreal, QC <br />
H2L 2A1<br />
514-439-7006<br />
<a href="http://www.leredtiger.com/">http://www.leredtiger.com/</a><br />
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<b>Opening Hours</b></div>
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Monday: 5pm-11pm</div>
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Tuesday-Thursday: 11am-2:30pm & 5pm-11pm </div>
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Friday: 11am-2:30pm & 5pm-3am </div>
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Saturday: 5pm-3am</div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/le-red-tiger-montreal" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Le Red Tiger on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17840176/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com01201 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Est, Montréal, QC H2L, Canada45.5191955 -73.557781645.5136325 -73.5678666 45.524758500000004 -73.5476966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-56209950442237137872015-06-22T08:30:00.000-07:002015-06-25T08:40:16.782-07:00Chez François - French Bakery in Westboro Ottawa<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chez François - Plaisirs de Provence is a French bakery in the Westboro area. While walking on the streets on Richmond where Westfest is held, we passed by Chez François for their croissant. I ate a lot of croissants in Montreal, at least once a week. We even have Croissant Day where there are 20 participating bakeries. Every year, my friends and I each pick up a croissant from a participating, then we sample each one of them and judge which is the best. If you are curious to know, Kouign Amann and Les Copains d'Abord are the best croissant in Montreal. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6k3GxSWEICk/VYgBFUYDFUI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/ImJaGzY6IYI/s1600/chez-francois-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Croissant - French Food Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6k3GxSWEICk/VYgBFUYDFUI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/ImJaGzY6IYI/s640/chez-francois-3.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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The croissant here is not the best I have eaten. I find it average. At least it is the best in Ottawa. The taste of butter is subtle, and it wasn't as flaky than the ones I'm used to.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAJvi4sVEYg/VYgBOC2H8mI/AAAAAAAAFKM/B2hSl_tJMdE/s1600/chez-francois-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Macaroons, Tarts, Cookies Pies - Bakery Westboro" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eAJvi4sVEYg/VYgBOC2H8mI/AAAAAAAAFKM/B2hSl_tJMdE/s640/chez-francois-2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastries and Pies</td></tr>
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This place is not only a bakery that sells macaroons, cookies, truffles and chocolate. It is a boutique that sells homemade pies, soups, sauces, vinaigrettes as well as imported cheese, wine and pâtés. It also offers a selection of linens, candles, cookware and flatware. The concept of the whole boutique/bakery is a perfect replica of what you experience in France. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkHranILLBs/VYgBOUYgniI/AAAAAAAAFKI/coSeSljUs_w/s1600/chez-francois-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chocolate, Truffles, Gelee - French Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xkHranILLBs/VYgBOUYgniI/AAAAAAAAFKI/coSeSljUs_w/s640/chez-francois-1.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truffles, Chocolate and Gelée</td></tr>
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<b>Chez François - Plaisirs de Provence</b><br />
427 Richmond Rd.<br />
Ottawa, ON<br />
K2A 4C9
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613-759-8000<br />
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<a href="http://www.plaisirsdeprovence.com/">http://www.plaisirsdeprovence.com/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/chez-fran%C3%A7ois-plaisirs-de-provence-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Chez François - Plaisirs de Provence on Zomato" class-="" class="nopin" nopin="" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16665840/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0427 Richmond Road, Ottawa, ON K2A 4C9, Canada45.3901618 -75.75780729999996845.390118300000005 -75.757886299999967 45.3902053 -75.757728299999968tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-77879253255203852582015-06-21T22:02:00.005-07:002015-06-22T16:09:42.239-07:00Ottawa RibFest 2015 on Sparks Street<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0UZzDzlkmLQ/VYdwnz1iujI/AAAAAAAAFHs/-iGuf5-n_LE/s1600/P1210952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0UZzDzlkmLQ/VYdwnz1iujI/AAAAAAAAFHs/-iGuf5-n_LE/s640/P1210952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://ottawaribfest.ca/">Ottawa RibFest</a> is an annual event happening on Sparks Street. This is the first time that I'm spending the whole summer in Ottawa. Food festival means food crawl. I went on a rib crawl with my roommate Justin. Since I had no idea which ribbers to go to, I rely on the power of social media with #ottawaribfest. Another trick is to find the longest queue. Since we were going on the third day, we assume by now, these people where to get the best ribs recommended by friends and family.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zp23GkLa-H0/VYdwQ7a5W7I/AAAAAAAAFG4/scKb6fp4ghk/s1600/P1210911-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zp23GkLa-H0/VYdwQ7a5W7I/AAAAAAAAFG4/scKb6fp4ghk/s640/P1210911-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Not only ribs are served, you can opt for BBQ chicken, pulled pork. Some offers brisket and big turkey drumsticks as well as sides - baked beans, cornbread and coleslaw.</div>
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There were 13 rib vendors to choose from. We went on to try four. We ordered 1/3 racks of ribs with something else just so we can find the best of the best. I have to say the competition is fierce, the food were equally finger-licking delicious. At the end, it comes down to a matter of preference. </div>
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The prices are fixed for all stalls:</div>
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- $23 for full rack (8 bones)</div>
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- $13 for 1/2 rack (6 bones)</div>
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- $9 for 1/3 rack (4 bones)</div>
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- 1/2 chicken for $12</div>
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- Pulled Pork Sandwich for $8</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bEx_oe6XBJU/VYdwnPs_9qI/AAAAAAAAFHI/HA7XZCwYR8Q/s1600/P1210934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bEx_oe6XBJU/VYdwnPs_9qI/AAAAAAAAFHI/HA7XZCwYR8Q/s640/P1210934.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are also lemonade and twisted potato chip stand on Sparks Street. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UkKB85sIXCA/VYdwm04F7sI/AAAAAAAAFHM/s3ww_SB3fV0/s1600/P1210946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UkKB85sIXCA/VYdwm04F7sI/AAAAAAAAFHM/s3ww_SB3fV0/s640/P1210946.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twisted Potatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t-4M-qv8QHk/VYdwsEdWrHI/AAAAAAAAFIw/izQo2dzpxww/s1600/P1220034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t-4M-qv8QHk/VYdwsEdWrHI/AAAAAAAAFIw/izQo2dzpxww/s640/P1220034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Mott's Clamato Lime</td></tr>
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Here is a quick overview of each of the ribbers visited. It is in order of preference based on the ribs served:<br />
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<b>1.</b> <b>Boss Hog's</b> from London, ON is the last one visited. We probably saved the best one for last. The pork ribs and chicken were lip-smacking delicious - tender and fall-off-the-bone. The fat on the chicken skin is rendered down nicely to give a thin crispy skin. What makes them the best for me is their BBQ sauce - rich, sweet, smoky, thick and sticky, a perfect balance of all these elements. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cqMQlcJ8nEQ/VYdwsljKqlI/AAAAAAAAFI8/HsMJmmxuBjs/s1600/P1220036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cqMQlcJ8nEQ/VYdwsljKqlI/AAAAAAAAFI8/HsMJmmxuBjs/s640/P1220036.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0sogEDsrpe0/VYdwtLYn6OI/AAAAAAAAFJM/INIviojF6U0/s1600/P1220056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0sogEDsrpe0/VYdwtLYn6OI/AAAAAAAAFJM/INIviojF6U0/s640/P1220056.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wwck2Qp6hQE/VYdwvFMx_eI/AAAAAAAAFJo/JyAnZsLaJHM/s1600/P1220051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wwck2Qp6hQE/VYdwvFMx_eI/AAAAAAAAFJo/JyAnZsLaJHM/s640/P1220051.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9tGzcZ7r7YQ/VYdwtzQf4UI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/BmyAz863RO0/s1600/P1220068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9tGzcZ7r7YQ/VYdwtzQf4UI/AAAAAAAAFJQ/BmyAz863RO0/s640/P1220068.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boss Hog's - Pork and Chicken</td></tr>
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<b>2. Crabby's BBQ Shack</b> also from London, Ontario could also have made it on my #1 spot. Boss Hog's is just a notch better. Their ribs use the 'low and slow' technique to permit the flavours to be infused into the ribs. All this effort is well worth because the flavours come through and they fall right off the bone. The BBQ sauce is thick, glossy and flavourful. It is not as rich in flavours as Boss Hog's. We also opted for their brisket, it's thinly sliced and pepper. It has good flavours almost like a roast beef, but I was imagining of getting a thick slab of brisket. </div>
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<b>3. Gator BBQ</b> from Port Dover, ON. Originally from Naples, Florida. Their ribs are tender, but have a bit of resistance when pulling off the bones. The mop sauce is light, thin and subtle. They offer, on their utensil table, their signature BBQ sauce to be smothered on your food. Their sauce is addictive. I can wat a bowl of it. Their pulled pork is the best I have eaten - juicy with loads of flavours. Their cornbread is an absolute must. It's light, airy and sweet. Gator BBQ offers a free bib on your order. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gator BBQ - Cornbread, Pork Ribs and Pulled Pork Sandwich</td></tr>
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<b>4. Silver Bullet BBQ</b> from Guelph, ON pride themselves in using dry rub for their rubs then smothered in their signature BBQ. The ribs were also tender and delicious, but it has some resistance when biting into it. The sauce is light and subtle. The flavour of apple is noticeable. </div>
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The end of Sparks find an old time Western stand called Pappy's Old Fashion Soda Pop. I always finish my meal with something sweet, I get to the chance to do this here. They are like dessert-drinks. We had the choice of five flavours served in a <i>barrel</i>. I got to sample each one of them before filling completely my mug. I couldn't resist getting the butterbeer which is popularized in Harry Potter. Butterbeer is described as a foamy beer with butterscotch flavour...</div>
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The verdict... It does have foam and it tastes like butterscotch. </div>
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Don't miss out on the first annual <a href="http://www.montrealribfest.com/">Montreal RibFest</a> happening on August 14-16, 2015 at Pierrefonds-Roxboro in Borough Hall. Crabby BBQ Shack will be attending this event. I have my finger-crossed that Boss Hog's will be there too.</div>
Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON, Canada45.4215296 -75.69719309999999344.7060866 -76.988086599999988 46.1369726 -74.4062996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-22397508599952239682015-06-21T11:51:00.001-07:002015-06-21T22:27:44.093-07:00Greek Souvlaki Shack - Flaming Action in Downtown Ottawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greek Souvlaki Shack is a small restaurant serving affordable authentic food on Bank St. I haven't had bad Greek food yet in Ottawa. In the higher end, there is <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/06/evoo-greek-kitchen-little-italy-ottawa.html">EVOO Greek Kitchen</a> which wowed us with their flavours and use of fresh local ingredients. You can go to Greek Souvlaki Shack for a more affordable option. I read a lot of positive reviews about this place. I tend to ignore the negative ones because they generalize the whole menu based on one item they ordered. I rarely dine alone, I always have friends with me to try a variety of dishes, then share with you the hit and misses of their menu.</div>
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I give this place a go with my friends V&W. From the outside, it does not look much, but the inside is modern and cozy. When you go to a Greek restaurant, you can't miss out on the saganaki. It's a lightly pan fried slab of cheese that is flambéed at your table. They use kefalograviera cheese which is soft and lightly salty, not as salty as haloumi. It has a nicely crisp exterior. It comes with warm pita bread to help cut down the saltiness of the cheese. </div>
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Next comes our souvlaki platter. V&W had the beef and chicken brochettes and mine was the pork gyro. The platter comes with a side of Greek salad topped with lots of feta, roasted potatoes, rice and tzatziki. These potatoes are not roasted in the sense that it gives a golden crispy exterior. These potatoes are roasted in an aromatic liquid for about an hour. It's a combination of roasting and steaming that makes them soft. These Greek potatoes are fork-tender, they can be cut with the slightest force. It is packed with loads of flavours - tomato, lemon and oregano. The rice is moist with flavours of oregano and lemon. All the meats were well marinated and seasoned that I barely used the tzatziki. A terrific meal!</div>
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We ended our meal with loukoumades translates to honey balls, They are popular sweet treats in Greece. They are deep-fried doughs coated with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. They are light and airy, and a wonderful little treat. It's difficult to eat just one.</div>
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Overall, it's a flawless meal. No wonder this little restaurant is a local favorite. If you happened to be in downtown Ottawa, pass by here for authentic comfort food. This place also does take-out.</div>
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<b>Greek Souvlaki Shack</b></div>
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258 Bank St.</div>
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Ottawa, ON</div>
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613-695-1185</div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/the-greek-souvlaki-shack-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for The Greek Souvlaki Shack on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16664462/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0258 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1X4, Canada45.4160863 -75.6971980999999819.894051800000003 -117.00579209999998 70.938120800000007 -34.388604099999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-17584877133001748072015-06-16T10:53:00.000-07:002015-06-16T12:44:52.316-07:00Brunch at Beechwood Gastropub in New Edinburgh, Ottawa<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Tucked in New Edinburgh area, find Beechwood Gastropub. It used to be the former spot of Michael Farber's Farbs Kitchen & Wine Bar. He is now the executive chef at the Black Cat Bistro. This review is only for their brunch. I went with my friends V&W, they had a superb experience for dinner that they wanted to try out their brunch.</div>
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The menu has some attractive items that will sure draw the crowd. Although the portions are small, the pricing is reasonable. The food is simple and straightforward, no sophisticated techniques are involved.</div>
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We had the pork schnitzel served on a bed of molasses beer baked beans topped with a spiced sunny-side egg. Schnitzel is pork pounded thinly, coated with flour, egg and bread crumb, then pan-fried. It has a nice crispy texture. The pork needed a touch more seasonings. The baked beans have a unique sweetness from the molasses beer. The waiter said that the egg was spiced with togarashi (a Japanese spice). I didn't taste any hint of it. We opted for their fries which are what they are famous for. It's one of the best fries I had in the city. What makes them special is that once out of the fryer, they are finished with a dollop of onion butter. They are simply addictive to eat.</div>
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We also opted for the braised beef short ribs. It was tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. It is served with mushrooms and roasted tomatoes. The beef jus is rich and creamy, it has great depth of flavours. It is topped with a poached egg and perfectly made hollandaise sauce. Originally, the egg was cooked to medium, we had to ask our waiter to prepare a runny poached egg which they have done successful. A nice hearty dish!</div>
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We also had the French toast - crispy thin bread with maple syrup, cinnamon sugar and soft, flavourful caramelized apples. Simple classic flavours on a plate. It comes with a side of crispy potato hash.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KJCgkRKGNK8/VXu2D_9JMEI/AAAAAAAAE-4/NUnsoprDXzs/s1600/beechwood-gastropub-ottawa-french-toast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KJCgkRKGNK8/VXu2D_9JMEI/AAAAAAAAE-4/NUnsoprDXzs/s640/beechwood-gastropub-ottawa-french-toast.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French Toast, Cinnamon-Sugar and Caramelized Apples</td></tr>
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Finally, we ended our meal with apple fritters. I was excited to try them out. It's like an apple pie packed inside a doughnut. They are coated with cinnamon-sugar served with a ginger-apple butter. They are warm, crisp and pillowy. The butter provides great flavours of ginger and apple. We wish there were more of this butter. We ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream to give a contrast of temperature.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AFMdEniWRnU/VXu2D2qaHcI/AAAAAAAAE_I/PwF3VGfj4sM/s1600/beechwood-gastropub-ottawa-apple-fritters-ice-cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AFMdEniWRnU/VXu2D2qaHcI/AAAAAAAAE_I/PwF3VGfj4sM/s640/beechwood-gastropub-ottawa-apple-fritters-ice-cream.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple Fritters, Ginger-Apple Butter and Vanilla Ice Cream</td></tr>
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Overall, brunch at Beechwood Gastropub was quite satisfying. Simple food, simple flavours. I'm curious to try out their dinner menu as the pricing is similar to brunch. It has many dishes that I want to try out. Definitely worth a revisit!</div>
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<b>Beechwood Gastropub</b></div>
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18 Beechwood Avenue</div>
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Ottawa, ON</div>
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K1M 2H9</div>
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613-744-6509</div>
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<a href="http://beechwoodgastropub.com/">http://beechwoodgastropub.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/beechwood-gastropub-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Beechwood Gastropub on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16666088/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com018 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1L 8L9, Canada45.4393278 -75.677005245.439284300000004 -75.6770842 45.4393713 -75.6769262tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-10898942239656965352015-06-14T08:08:00.004-07:002015-06-14T08:24:00.575-07:00Dumpling Bowl - Soupy Goodness in Chinatown Ottawa<div style="text-align: justify;">
Where can you get dumplings in Ottawa? Not the type of dumplings that are served in a push cart in dim sum restaurants. That belongs to the province of Guangdong and Hong Kong (the Cantonese speaking part of China). Rarely, these dumplings are made at home. The homemade version is called shuijiao, translates to boiled dumplings. It is popularly made in every household during Chinese New Year and other festivities. The skin is generally thicker than the Cantonese ones. Once cooked, these dumplings are like bags of soupy goodness.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUTMkgOjHtY/VX2KUcQYYFI/AAAAAAAAFBw/0n6crymLt6s/s1600/dumpling-bowl-ottawa-chinatown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUTMkgOjHtY/VX2KUcQYYFI/AAAAAAAAFBw/0n6crymLt6s/s640/dumpling-bowl-ottawa-chinatown.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boiled Pork & Shrimp Dumplings</td></tr>
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Dumpling Bowl is the only restaurant in Ottawa that serves the mainland China type of dumplings. It comes with 10 choices of filling such as Pork, Chives & Shrimp, Curry Beef & Onions, Zucchini & Black Fungus, etc... The prices indicated is for boiled dumplings; each order has 15 pieces. You can opt for the option of having them pan-fried for $1.50 extra. My personal favourite is the Pork & Shrimp, it's the combination of ingredients that I grew up with. I usually dipped them on a 3:1 ratio of soy sauce and vinegar with a few drops of hot chili oil. </div>
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Dumpling shops are popular in Montreal, so I have a fair amount of experience of eating dumplings. The dumplings here are not the best that I have eaten. The dough-to-filling ratio is off. It either needs more filling or the skin needs to be thinner. They also serve beef noodle soup, fried chicken and bubble tea.</div>
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Considering that it is the only dumpling spot in Ottawa, it's a good introduction to shuijiao.</div>
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<b>Dumpling Bowl</b><br />
730 Somerset St. W<br />
Ottawa, ON<br />
K1R 6P8<br />
613-845-0880<br />
<a href="http://www.dumplingbowl.com/">http://www.dumplingbowl.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/dumpling-bowl-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Dumpling Bowl on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17840907/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0730 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K1R 6P7, Canada45.4105154 -75.70799060000001645.410471900000005 -75.708069600000016 45.4105589 -75.707911600000017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-87825593302527685072015-06-13T22:41:00.000-07:002015-06-13T22:41:28.358-07:00Brunch at Good Eats - A Taste of Comfort in Downtown Ottawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4-kFYrBqms/VXvIHqk6mlI/AAAAAAAAE_g/UvJzBwEXUsE/s1600/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mushroom-melt-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Good Eats - Pakistan Food " border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4-kFYrBqms/VXvIHqk6mlI/AAAAAAAAE_g/UvJzBwEXUsE/s640/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mushroom-melt-2.jpg" title="Good Eats - Pakistan Food " width="640" /></a></div>
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Good East, not to be confused with Alton Brown's first TV show, took over the former location of <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/08/the-scone-witch.html">Scone Witch</a> in Downtown Ottawa. The menu is a mix of cuisines put together into one piece of paper. It has some Middle-Eastern influences. This is partly due to the chef spending few years in Islamabad, Pakistan. I noticed that it is not common to see Middle-Eastern dishes for brunch in Ottawa. The menu changes weekly focusing on fresh nourishing food.</div>
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It has become a routine for me to dine with my fans and friends V&W every Saturday to explore recent restaurant openings in Ottawa. </div>
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The food is good, but not outstanding. I might be biased in this review because I'm a person who loves bold, contrasting flavors. We started off with a mango lassi. A popular drink in Pakistan made with ripe mangoes and yogourt. It's thick and creamy with lots of mango flavours.</div>
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V&W had the scrambled eggs sprinkled with a dash of dukkah (a Middle-Eastern spice mix) with grilled haloumi and a side of potatoes. The salty nature of the haloumi works well with the scrambled eggs. I prefer to have the eggs creamier, mixed with the dukkah.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cB7zcP_gj0I/VXvIHtnzmPI/AAAAAAAAE_o/a0IodOB-TbM/s1600/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mid-east-scrambled-eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dukkah Scrambled Eggs - Egyptian Spice Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cB7zcP_gj0I/VXvIHtnzmPI/AAAAAAAAE_o/a0IodOB-TbM/s640/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mid-east-scrambled-eggs.jpg" title="Dukkah Scrambled Eggs - Egyptian Spice Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-East Eggs with Dukkah and Grilled Haloumi</td></tr>
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The mushroom melt sandwich comes with sauteed cremini mushrooms and Gruyere cheese. The cremini mushrooms were properly cooked, but it feels that it needed something more flavours. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sAUPgjgiVNQ/VXvIIUtCMAI/AAAAAAAAE_w/sM4W9zXxaSk/s1600/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mushroom-melt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mushroom Melt - Restaurant Downtown Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sAUPgjgiVNQ/VXvIIUtCMAI/AAAAAAAAE_w/sM4W9zXxaSk/s640/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mushroom-melt.jpg" title="Mushroom Melt - Restaurant Downtown Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom Melt - Grilled Rosemary Mushrooms, and Gruyere Cheese</td></tr>
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The shakshuka is a classic Middle-Eastern dish which consists of eggs poached in tomato sauce. Having the tomato smoked provides a nice addition of flavours. All the dishes come with a side of arugula salad. We agree that the salad was overdressed making the arugula soggy when the order arrived at our table.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCys0GFqHwQ/VXvIIqGyLEI/AAAAAAAAE_4/sXj_h_M-wKA/s1600/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-shakshuka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shakshuka - Mediterranean Food Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LCys0GFqHwQ/VXvIIqGyLEI/AAAAAAAAE_4/sXj_h_M-wKA/s640/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-shakshuka.jpg" title="Shakshuka - Mediterranean Food Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shakshuka with Smoky Tomato Sauce and Chorizo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mlxgUz3CbcE/VXvIHdRhccI/AAAAAAAAE_k/6LH4oAOVYqE/s1600/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mango-lassi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mango Lassi - Middle-East Food" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mlxgUz3CbcE/VXvIHdRhccI/AAAAAAAAE_k/6LH4oAOVYqE/s640/good-eats-ottawa-brunch-mango-lassi.jpg" title="Mango Lassi - Middle-East Food" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango Lassi</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">If you're looking for fresh wholesome food for lunch around downtown Ottawa, Good Eats is definitely a place to try out. They also organize a monthly wine tasting event. And occasionally, they invite the owner of <a href="http://www.cardamomandcloves.com/">Cardamon & Cloves</a> to provide demos on spices at their restaurant. </span><br />
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<b>Good Eats Ottawa</b><br />
388 Albert St.<br />
Ottawa, ON<br />
613-914-7453<br />
<a href="http://www.goodeats.ca/">http://www.goodeats.ca/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/good-eats-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Good Eats on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16665896/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0388 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON K1R 5B8, Canada45.417793200000013 -75.70482820000000919.895758700000012 -117.01342220000001 70.939827700000009 -34.396234200000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-3283190853950781882015-06-12T12:18:00.002-07:002015-07-01T22:23:54.693-07:00San Gennaro - Pizza al Taglio, Italian Bakery, Cafe in Little Italy Montreal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f92H2bKzFiI/VWYytto9mlI/AAAAAAAAE3c/lVWgt_J-pGM/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-vanilla-nutella.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f92H2bKzFiI/VWYytto9mlI/AAAAAAAAE3c/lVWgt_J-pGM/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-vanilla-nutella.JPG" title="Bombolone - Italian bakery" width="640" /></a></div>
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I follow many local food bloggers to uncover hidden gems and new openings in Montreal. When you see a blogger posting on their social media page food about the same location more than once a week, chances are the food is amazing. Thanks to the <a href="http://www.montrealfooddivas.com/san-gennaro-italian-bakery-cafe-pizza-montreal-restaurant/">Montreal Food Divas</a>; San Gennaro has become my new favourite spot to grab delicious food in Little Italy. It has a shared 50-seat terrace with its neighbouring restaurant, La Bottega which is run by the same owner. </div>
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Each time I go to a new restaurant, I always learn something new. I thought I tasted everything that I needed to know about Italian cuisine, but there are still things that I keep on discovering. This is what drives me to keep on blogging, sharing with you my latest discoveries and knowledge about food. You can read my post on Northern Italian cuisine at North & Navy in Ottawa <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/03/north-and-navy-northern-italian-kitchen-ottawa.html">here</a>.</div>
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At San Gennaro, the concept of pizza al taglio intrigues me. It is popularized in Rome for serving a wide selection of rectangular pizzas sold by weight. Toppings include the use of premium and seasonal ingredients such as prosciutto, sausage, arugula, asparagus, etc. Here, each slice of pizza has a fixed price. The staffs will gladly cut the pizzas for you if you are planning to share. We were two. We went on an ordering rampage because everything looks delicious. At the end, we had four pizzas, arancini, bombolone, gelato and cannoli.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ma2fZellM5o/VZTKn-66nVI/AAAAAAAAFM8/Y1H0nQmOiIM/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-vegetarian-pizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ma2fZellM5o/VZTKn-66nVI/AAAAAAAAFM8/Y1H0nQmOiIM/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-vegetarian-pizza.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetarian Pizza with Roasted Peppers, Zucchini, Eggplant and Tomato</td></tr>
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We opted for the potato topped with a paper-thin slice of taleggio cheese. Potato and cheese are a classic combination to showcase the unique flavour profile of the cheese. We also had the tomato-based pizza topped with fiddlehead ferns, mozzarella and mushrooms. Fiddlehead ferns are in season for a short period of time, I finally had a chance to try them out. The taste and texture are similar to asparagus. This pizza is simple and delicious!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rvdQIIGtZBE/VWYytGrMuvI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/aJc_6bEMZK0/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-pizza-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rvdQIIGtZBE/VWYytGrMuvI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/aJc_6bEMZK0/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-pizza-1.JPG" title="Pizza al taglio - Little Italy Montreal" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza al taglio - Potato with Taleggio cheese & Fiddleheads, Mozzarella and Mushroom</td></tr>
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Our next board consists of a pizza with Italian sausages, tomato sauce, caramelized onions and mozzarella. Simple Italian flavors in one bite. I'm always curious to try a pizza with lardon. Lardon is like bacon but 100 times better. The fact that it's very salty, it pairs well with the neutral taste of the potato. The arancini is another delicious treat. Arancini are created to make up for leftover risotto. The risotto rice is flavoured with ground veal, peas and mozzarella cheese coated with a bread crumb crust. It's crispy, oozy and great meaty flavours.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0BcEbLeiog/VWYyeqazePI/AAAAAAAAE3E/LCL7yoQsM78/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-arachini-pizza-lardon-sausage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B0BcEbLeiog/VWYyeqazePI/AAAAAAAAE3E/LCL7yoQsM78/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-arachini-pizza-lardon-sausage.JPG" title="Pizza al taglio and Arancini - Italian Food " width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arancini with Peas and Ground Veal<br />
Pizza al Taglio - Caramelized Onions, Italian Sausages and Mozzarella & Potato with Lardon</td></tr>
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We also went wild with desserts. They offer 6 flavours of gelato. We opted for the hazelnut and sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn berries are difficult to get a hold on, rarely you will see on menus. This is my second time encountering them. My first experience was at Erling's Variety in Ottawa when I had their <a href="https://instagram.com/p/0QpyikJPTv/">sea buckthorn ice cream</a>. Luckily, San Gennaro got a hold of a forager that sells them. These little orange berries are very, very tart. It has a distinct fruity taste that is difficult to describe unless you try. If you see them, order them immediately.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIgp5fomHHE/VWYyv-C5ydI/AAAAAAAAE3o/beH_ShSnbfU/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-gelato-hazelnut-sea-buckthorn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hIgp5fomHHE/VWYyv-C5ydI/AAAAAAAAE3o/beH_ShSnbfU/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-gelato-hazelnut-sea-buckthorn.JPG" title="Hazelnut and Sea Buckthorn Gelato - Italian Desserts" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazelnut & Sea Buckthorn Gelato </td></tr>
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They also have pastries that are displayed near the cash register - tarts, lobster tails (sfogliatella), biscotti, etc. One pastry that I'm not at all familiar is the bombolone. Think of it like a doughnut overfilled with custard. The moment you bite onto it, all the custard will burst into your mouth. I think that's why it is called bomb-olone. They have two choices of fillings - vanilla and Nutella. We went for the vanilla custard which has a prominent vanilla flavour and the dough is nicely crisp like a zeppole. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--91mgJia_Ss/VWYye3NJiKI/AAAAAAAAE3I/as68qP2uuoQ/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-vanilla-nutella-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--91mgJia_Ss/VWYye3NJiKI/AAAAAAAAE3I/as68qP2uuoQ/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-vanilla-nutella-2.JPG" title="Vanilla Bombolone - Little Italy Pastry Shop" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanilla Bombolone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-13dvsN0V1Ig/VWYyeGiOPQI/AAAAAAAAE3A/bzLSI-d-JkI/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-gelato.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-13dvsN0V1Ig/VWYyeGiOPQI/AAAAAAAAE3A/bzLSI-d-JkI/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-bombolone-gelato.JPG" title="Gelato and Vanilla Bombolone - Desserts Montreal" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gelato and Vanilla Bombolone</td></tr>
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On my second visit, I opted for the honeysuckle and peach crostada. Honeysuckle is another of these foraged ingredients that are rarely seen in restaurants. It's quite tart, it's a cross between a blueberry and raspberry. The crust has a cake-like texture, not very crumbly. It makes it easier to cut and share.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5jorpuSY5YA/VZTF8hBjG8I/AAAAAAAAFMg/HeAIYCwIuuk/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-honeysuckle-peach-crostada.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5jorpuSY5YA/VZTF8hBjG8I/AAAAAAAAFMg/HeAIYCwIuuk/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-honeysuckle-peach-crostada.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honeysuckle and Peach Crostada</td></tr>
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The migliaccio is somewhat unique to San Gennaro, you won't find it in any bakery in Montreal. Migliaccio is somewhat a cross between a flan and a cheesecake. It is made of ricotta, lemon zest, egg and semolina flour. This type of flour makes this dessert lighter than a cheesecake.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi6QIrhecHU/VZTF9cl0QNI/AAAAAAAAFMs/HY8iP9vRn9o/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-migliaccio-ricotta-lemon-zest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi6QIrhecHU/VZTF9cl0QNI/AAAAAAAAFMs/HY8iP9vRn9o/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-migliaccio-ricotta-lemon-zest.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Migliaccio with lemon zest</td></tr>
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The sfogliatelle is made of thin layers of dough that give its crispy texture once baked. It is close to the texture of cooked phyllo pastry. It's filled with vanilla custard with pieces of candied orange peel. Simply delightful.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-As_XqthLwDU/VZTF9VHslVI/AAAAAAAAFMw/mbNI4JiEjss/s1600/san-gennaro-montreal-sfogliatelle-lobster-tail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-As_XqthLwDU/VZTF9VHslVI/AAAAAAAAFMw/mbNI4JiEjss/s640/san-gennaro-montreal-sfogliatelle-lobster-tail.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sfogliatelle (lobster tail) with Vanilla Custard and Candied Orange Peel</td></tr>
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Finally, we had to try their cannoli <i>farcie à la minute</i>. On display are empty cannoli shells. They stuffed with a ricotta filling on order. It's an ingenious idea to prevent the dough from going soggy. I can safely say that it is the best cannoli I have eaten in Montreal! Not only the crispy hard shell delicious, but also, their creamy ricotta filling mixed with pieces of chocolate. What separates this cannoli from the rest of the pack is the addition of candied orange peel that gives a nice contrast of fragrance, freshness and fruitiness to the whole dessert. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cannoli with Ricotta, Chocolate and Candied Orange Peel</td></tr>
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Now that you have finished reading my review and staring at my beautiful pictures. Head over to San Gennaro and go on a spree of Italian delicacies.<br />
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<b>San Gennaro</b><br />
69 rue St-Zotique E.<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
H2S 1K7<br />
<a href="http://www.sangennaro.ca/">http://www.sangennaro.ca/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/san-gennaro-montreal" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for San Gennaro on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17840154/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com069 Rue Saint Zotique Est, Montréal, QC H2S 1K7, Canada45.532785 -73.61117689999997520.010750499999997 -114.91977089999997 71.0548195 -32.302582899999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-67903830306680882442015-06-08T00:50:00.001-07:002015-06-14T08:34:15.479-07:00EVOO Greek Kitchen - Family-Style Food in Little Italy Ottawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQYiCxjznyM/VW_0Dp17DDI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/dJmnXjt7Z7E/s1600/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-haloumi-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Grilled Haloumi - Greek food Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQYiCxjznyM/VW_0Dp17DDI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/dJmnXjt7Z7E/s640/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-haloumi-2.jpg" title="Grilled Haloumi - Greek food Ottawa" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Ottawa Zomato meetup took place in Little Italy at EVOO Greek Kitchen, organized by community manager Samantha. This is not my first meetup that I have attended. The first one was in Montreal, hosted by Genevieve, at my favourite Latin American restaurant - <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2013/10/ceviches.html">Ceviches</a>. That was the time of the official launch of Zomato Montreal. I got to meet several food bloggers that I haven't had a chance to meet in person.</div>
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The invited bloggers in this meetup are mostly fashion, lifestyle, parenting and nutrition bloggers. Throughout the evening, I had a wonderful chat with <a href="http://www.dmkontrast.com/">DM Kontrast</a>, <a href="http://bjutie.com/">Bjütie</a>, <a href="http://quietfish.com/notebook/">A Peek inside the Fish Bowl</a> as well as Canada East Lead Manager, Kevin. There are very few active restaurant bloggers in Ottawa. Most local foodies write their reviews on <a href="https://ottawafoodies.com/">Ottawa Foodies</a>. I only have a few restaurants left to try out in Ottawa. EVOO Greek Kitchen was on my list. </div>
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Do you know what EVOO is short for? It's one of the core ingredients in Greek cuisine or more generally, Meditteranean cuisine. I was the first one to arrive and I had a quick chat with restaurant owner Elias and chef Lefteris. I have a narrow understanding of Greek food. All I know is that this cuisine similar to countries surrounding the Meditteranean sea. And that I have cooked plenty times the Greek chicken soup - avgolemono. The recipe is on my blog - <a href="http://www.randomcuisine.com/2009/11/avgolemono-soup.html">Random Cuisine</a>. After talking with both of them, I felt their passion of showcasing authentic Greek food to the Ottawa community. I came out of this restaurant with a belly full of knowledge. </div>
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Greek cuisine is best described as a simple humble meal that is shared with family and friends. The food is typically grilled or roasted over charcoal. Our menu is concocted in such a way that we can explore the many facets of Greek cuisine. Throughout our meal, the food is presented beautifully on a large wooden board. Everything is served family-style. There are spoons, knives and tongs to ease with the sharing.</div>
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Our first course is a spread platter - melitzamosalata, taramosalata and spicy feta dip. It comes with generous amounts of grilled pita bread and olives. The melitzamosalata is similar to a baba ghanoush. It's a blend of pureed eggplant, roasted red peppers, garlic and parsley. The taramosalata is a whipped carp roe caviar that is typically thickened with bread. It's light and airy, the roe flavor is noticeable. The texture reminds me of the time I had the baccala cappucina at <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/03/north-and-navy-northern-italian-kitchen-ottawa.html">North and Navy</a>. The spicy feta dip consists of a mixture of minced feta, tomatoes, red bell peppers and chili flakes. Everything is melded together with EVOO. It's salty with a good amount of kick on the heat. I recommend tasting this dip last as you will miss out the subtle flavour of the other spreads. I like the fact that the pita is grilled to give an extra boost of flavours. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s3sAiD_q0tE/VW_0E9xTC2I/AAAAAAAAE8s/bCkto3LIHS4/s1600/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-spreads-feta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Spread Platter - Melizamosalata, Taramosalata and Spicy Feta Dip" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s3sAiD_q0tE/VW_0E9xTC2I/AAAAAAAAE8s/bCkto3LIHS4/s640/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-spreads-feta.jpg" title="Spread Platter - Melizamosalata, Taramosalata and Spicy Feta Dip" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spread Platter - Melizamosalata, Taramosalata and Spicy Feta Dip</td></tr>
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Next comes the grilled cypriot haloumi. I'm a fan of this cheese because it is salty and it has the same texture and squeakiness as the St-Albert's cheese curds (or poutine curds). Haloumi is one of these cheeses that is perfect for grilling, frying or coat it in batter to make fish n' chips. It is a difficult to melt over high heat. It is best eaten with the sweet heirloom tomatoes to help tune down the saltiness of the haloumi.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sp4XtzjX29g/VXXapYFguMI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/jP57TuYMBXQ/s1600/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-haloumi-cypriot-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sp4XtzjX29g/VXXapYFguMI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/jP57TuYMBXQ/s640/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-haloumi-cypriot-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Grilled Cypriot Haloumi with Heirloom Tomatoes</span></td></tr>
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We next had the Greek salad which comes with slabs of feta cheese topped with fresh oregano. Simple and delicious. It's a great palate-cleansing dish that sets the mood for the upcoming heavier courses.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EOGkOqn8p4g/VXU3DQjMtXI/AAAAAAAAE98/dnVK_6jqFBY/s1600/evoo-greek-kitchen-salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Greek Salad - Feta, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Oregano" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EOGkOqn8p4g/VXU3DQjMtXI/AAAAAAAAE98/dnVK_6jqFBY/s640/evoo-greek-kitchen-salad.jpg" title="Greek Salad - Feta, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Oregano" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greek Salad - Tomato, Cucumber, Red Onion, Olive, Feta and Oregano</td></tr>
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Our next platter is the grilled octopus and grilled calamari. The octopus tentacles are first marinated in latholemono then cooked over a charcoal grill - meaty with great amount of char flavor. For me, the thick part of the octopus is on the dry side. The grilled calamari is my absolute favourite dish of the evening. Often times, you will encounter calamari rings deep-fried in a bread crumb crust. Here the calamari is cooked whole, roasted over charcoal. It can be tricky to cook squid because there is a thin line between cooked to perfection and rubbery. The cooking of the calamari is absolutely spot on. I ate two whole ones and had the leftovers for take-out. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6X32JY-yR9c/VW_0Dr2zirI/AAAAAAAAE8U/IRkq8OMgNmE/s1600/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-octopus-calamari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Seafood Platter - Grilled Octopus and Grilled Calamari" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6X32JY-yR9c/VW_0Dr2zirI/AAAAAAAAE8U/IRkq8OMgNmE/s640/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-grilled-octopus-calamari.jpg" title="Seafood Platter - Grilled Octopus and Grilled Calamari" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seafood Platter - Grilled Octopus and Grilled Calamari</td></tr>
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Finally, we finished our meal with the meat platter. The owner Elias was very proud to serve us top-quality lamb chops and chicken. The quality of these meat is far superior from the ones we buy in the supermarket. The lamb chops are from Washington State, it's marinated in <span style="font-family: sans-serif;">latholemono then</span> grilled. The fat is well-rendered and the lamb has great flavours. The other protein is a Grade A Ontario chicken. All it needs is a touch of salt to elevate the natural flavours of this farm-raised local chicken. Roasting makes everything delicious. I highly recommend ordering both proteins. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BxKJ_s9cWU/VW_0Erw2i-I/AAAAAAAAE8o/68p3WjgeuXo/s1600/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-lamb-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Meat Platter - Lamb Chops and Roasted Chicken" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_BxKJ_s9cWU/VW_0Erw2i-I/AAAAAAAAE8o/68p3WjgeuXo/s640/evoo-greek-restaurant-ottawa-lamb-chicken.jpg" title="Meat Platter - Lamb Chops and Roasted Chicken" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meat Platter - Washington State Lamb Chops and Grad A Ontario Roasted Chicken</td></tr>
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Overall, everything was delicious and the chef stays true to his roots in introducing authentic Greek food to Ottawa. Their hospitality and their passion are clearly shown throughout the whole service and their food. I definitely revisit to EVOO with my own group of foodie friends.</div>
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<b>EVOO Greek Kitchen</b></div>
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438 Preston St.</div>
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Ottawa, ON</div>
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K1S 4N4</div>
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613-695-3860<br />
<a href="http://www.evoogreekkitchen.ca/">http://www.evoogreekkitchen.ca/</a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/evoo-greek-kitchen-ottawa" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for EVOO Greek Kitchen on Zomato" class="nopin" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16665719/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0438 Preston Street, Ottawa, ON K1S 4N6, Canada45.3991774 -75.70878629999998643.9726114 -78.290573299999991 46.8257434 -73.12699929999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-28519682089994025842015-06-05T11:50:00.000-07:002015-06-08T19:01:19.506-07:00Sumi Dojo - Japanese Fusion and Ramen Izakaya on St-Laurent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4Vt-Td-gq4/VWiAgod6L_I/AAAAAAAAE4s/dDnHexaz5Vk/s1600/sumi-dojo-montreal-tonkotsu-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4Vt-Td-gq4/VWiAgod6L_I/AAAAAAAAE4s/dDnHexaz5Vk/s640/sumi-dojo-montreal-tonkotsu-ramen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sumi Dojo is one of the new restaurants taken on the izakaya scene in Montreal. Two years ago, there were three well-known izakayas - Big in Japan, <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/01/kazu.html">Kazu</a> and <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/10/imadake.html">Imadake</a>. Japanese cuisine has become mainstream in many major cities, but Montreal has not yet ride along with this trend. Within a year, we now have <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/11/kinka-izakaya.html">Kinka Izakaya</a>, Kabocha and Sumi Dojo.</div>
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This restaurant, situated on St-Laurent, is run by four owners, some of which were former employees of <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/10/imadake.html">Imadake</a>. You still get to experience the sake bomb drill. Some of the classic izakaya dishes (takoyaki, okonomiyaki, etc...) are available. The distinct feature is that it focuses on Japanese fusion. It combines the best flavours of various cuisines into Japanese staple food. I was to easily identify four cuisines - French, Italian, Chinese and South-East Asia.</div>
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Sumi Dojo has a wide selection of items with pictures associated to ease with your choices. Three types of ramen (salt, shoyu and tonkotsu) are as well available. Their special menu offers fresh fishes and shellfishes imported from Japan. They also have Japanese wagyu served in limited quantity, so pay attention on their social media pages if you crave for authentic wagyu.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pmp944RkP3Y/VWiAft7UAYI/AAAAAAAAE4c/yLT20o0cIYE/s1600/sumi-dojo-montreal-oyster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pmp944RkP3Y/VWiAft7UAYI/AAAAAAAAE4c/yLT20o0cIYE/s640/sumi-dojo-montreal-oyster.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My brother and I opted for the baked jumbo oyster. It is cooked over charcoal with melted mozzarella cheese topped with a dollop of pesto. Everything tastes delicious when comes to charcoal. Fresh and delicious! One suggestion is to add an element of crunch like bread crumbs or even better, panko crumbs to make it outstanding.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked Jumbo Oyster</td></tr>
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My brother and I are fans of soft shell crabs. Deep-fried in a panko batter is the best way to eat these juicy and tasty creatures. The dipping sauce is a mixture of garlic and fish sauce. Combining fish sauce with soft shell crab might not be a good idea because it has a pungent taste that ruins the delicate and sweet nature of the crab. When I had the soft shell crab at Imadake, it was served with soy sauce which helps intensifies the flavour of the crab.</div>
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My friend Carlos ordered the takoyaki. In my view, Imadake serves the best takoyaki in Montreal. Sumi Dojo did a great job honouring the texture and taste of these octopus balls. It's gooey inside with a crisp exterior. The Japanese mayo, tonkatsu sauce and bonito flakes are always great additions that make them addictive to eat.</div>
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Now it's ramen time. Ramen-fanatic Carlos, Japanese friend Midori and my ramen amateur friends are in search for the best ramen in Montreal. So, expect a post on the best ramen in Montreal soon. Our search is almost done. Most of us ordered the tonkotsu ramen. (For more details about tonkotsu ramen, read my post on <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2015/05/yokato-yokabai-hakata-tonkotsu-ramen-montreal.html">Yokato Yokabai</a>.) The broth is simmered for two days using pork bones and shellfishes. It has a creamy feel from all the simmered pork fat and layers of complexity that I'm looking for. The noodles are the yellow high-alkaline type. The chashu has a nice caramelization with a sweet glaze. The bamboo shoots were marinated with great flavours. Some of us found their ramen quite salty. Mine was just right. There might an inconsistency in the seasonings. Even though it is ramenlicious, I was somewhat disappointed that it has an almost identical flavour profile as Imadake. I was hoping to taste something unique. </div>
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You have to save room for some sweets because it is the most exciting part of their menu. All of their desserts are a take on European classics with a Japanese twist. That is where the real fusion kicks in. It's a Europe-meets-Japan type desserts. You can opt for the green-tea red-bean millefeuille, sake chocolate fondant, miso cheesecake, jasmine tea panna cotta, green tea parfait, etc... Sound tempting, right?</div>
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My friend had the mille-feuille. The puff pastry has a pleasant crack when cutting with a fork. The flavours are dominated with punches of green tea and red bean flavours. </div>
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My bro and I finished our meal with a jasmine tea panna cotta topped with a dark brown Japanese syrup served with a side of ginger ice cream. The taste of the infused jasmine tea leaves is quite pleasant and noticeable. The syrup has a subtle bitter and sweet notes that balances well with the flavour of the panna cotta. The ice cream has a strong tangy taste of ginger.</div>
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We will definitely return to Sumi Dojo to try out their other offerings especially their desserts. I hope that I'll be able to sample their Japanese wagyu beef. </div>
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It is well-located in the heart of downtown on St-Laurent. It will attract a huge crowd for those searching for some excitement and sake bombs.</div>
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<b>Sumi Dojo</b><br />
3479 boul. St-Laurent<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
514-507-7864<br />
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<a href="http://www.sumidojo.com/">http://www.sumidojo.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/sumi-dojo-montr%C3%A9al"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Sumi Dojo on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16641422/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" class="nopin"/></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com03479 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 2T6, Canada45.5131729 -73.57063929999998231.3705504 -94.224936299999982 59.6557954 -52.916342299999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-55859384796426074722015-06-01T23:15:00.000-07:002015-06-08T19:01:26.714-07:00The Basak - Best Korean Fried Chicken in Montreal<div dir="ltr">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-pJ4Bazk4o/VWvHIJVywtI/AAAAAAAAE7E/aH4PNcjsugA/s1600/basak-montreal-korean-fried-chicken-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-pJ4Bazk4o/VWvHIJVywtI/AAAAAAAAE7E/aH4PNcjsugA/s640/basak-montreal-korean-fried-chicken-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Want to know a hidden treasure that only the Asian community knows about? Located just outside of Guy-Concordia station, The Basak serves the best finger-licking Korean fried chicken in Montreal. What's so special about it? It's all about achieving the crispiest thinnest crust possible. To obtain such result, it all lies in the double deep-frying method - the same trick to make the perfect French fries. First, the chicken is deep-fried at a lower temperature to cook the meat thoroughly, then deep-fried again at a higher temperature to achieve the crispy crust.<br />
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I have been to The Basak 5 times - three of the times were for take-out. The menu is straightforward - chicken and side dishes. The chicken can be bone-in or boneless. You can choose from 3 flavours - original (Korean curry powder), soy-garlic or spicy. Your best bet is to opt for the half and half, basically two flavours in one order. </div>
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The Korean Fried chicken, the better version of KFC, is gobsmacking. The Original is not shy with the amount of curry powder delivering great punches of flavours and the meat is tender and juicy. </div>
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The soy-garlic glaze is always a winning combination and the spicy glaze has the perfect blend of sweet, savory and spicy. Even though it is smothered in sauce, the crispy exterior is still retained. All three flavours are finger-licking delicious. The order comes with a side of pickled daikon to help freshen your palate.</div>
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You can also opt for their sides. Both times, we ordered the cream corn gratin. There is nothing special about this side dish. It's simply canned corn topped with melted mozzarella cheese served on a cast iron pan.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SBuS9uZDBI0/VWvHH5l-8nI/AAAAAAAAE7A/QCiDfGto6TA/s1600/basak-montreal-cream-corn-gratin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SBuS9uZDBI0/VWvHH5l-8nI/AAAAAAAAE7A/QCiDfGto6TA/s640/basak-montreal-cream-corn-gratin.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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On their specialty menu, we ordered the spicy braised chicken with japchae (Korean potato glass noodles). This dish is not very spicy. The pieces of chicken are nice and tender cooked in a dark rich brown sauce along with basil, potatoes, carrots and onions. Simply delicious. This dish reminds me of the Taiwanese staple dish - <a href="http://www.randomcuisine.com/2009/02/sanbei-chicken-sanbeiji.html">Sanbei Chicken (Sanbeiji)</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7bB8hwtBKE/VWvHGzSXVLI/AAAAAAAAE6w/4-I_TAhrtaM/s1600/basak-montreal-braised-spicy-chicken-japchae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7bB8hwtBKE/VWvHGzSXVLI/AAAAAAAAE6w/4-I_TAhrtaM/s640/basak-montreal-braised-spicy-chicken-japchae.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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A recent addition to their menu is the patbingsu, the Korean version of ice cream. I haven't tried the one here, but I did try the bingsoo at the Korean bakery - <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/10/le-painnamou.html">Le Painnamou</a> on Bishop. It's a great dessert to end the meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original and Spicy Bone-In Whole Chicken</td></tr>
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We all crave fried chicken at some point, some time, some day. If you do, get your fix at The Basak. I can guarantee it's the best Korean Fried Chicken you will ever eat in Montreal. Asians love it. I love it. You will definitely love it!</div>
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<b>The Basak</b><br />
1237 rue Guy<br />
Montreal, QC<br />
514-508-1144<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/THEBASAKMTL">http://www.facebook.com/THEBASAKMTL</a><br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/basak-montreal"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Basak on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16641359/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" class="nopin"/></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com01237 Rue Guy, Montréal, QC H3H 2K5, Canada45.494855 -73.57685600000002119.9728205 -114.88545000000002 71.0168895 -32.268262000000021tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-17266960251762933312015-05-24T08:10:00.000-07:002015-06-08T19:01:38.212-07:00Brit and Chips - Côte-des-Neiges Fish N' Chips<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">I
went with a large group of friends to the Brit and Chips location in the
C</span><span style="line-height: 17.1199989318848px;">ô</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">te-des-Neiges area. I reviewed a while back the one on <a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2012/04/brit-chips.html">McGill St.</a> in
Old-Montreal. Well, it was not really a review, I was simply showcasing my
awesome picture-taken skills in the early months of this blog with minimal
content. As my palate becomes more refined, I have more to say about the food.
I have some references on how certain food should taste like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17.1199989318848px;">I had a fair share of fish and chips when I did my EuroTrip in the UK, and two years later in Ireland. Even though it's simple food, I miss a good old fish and chips. The Brit and Chips on Chemin C</span></span><span style="line-height: 17.1199989318848px;">ô</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17.1199989318848px;">te-des-Neiges has more room than the one in the Old-Montreal, about 70 seats. Large groups are welcome.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">The menu consists of 5-6 fishes that are deep-fried in their own special batter. They also serve pasties, a British pie wrapped in puff pastry stuffed with savoury ingredients. You can also opt for their sausage rolls or scotch egg. And have your meal with a pint of beer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We started off with tandoori popcorn shrimp. Little pieces of shrimp coated with a tandoori-spiced bread crumb batter – crispy batter, easy to eat with your hands. However, the tandoori flavour is subtle. It needed more punches of spices.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">We all ordered the fish and chips. In general, none of us complained about the fish being undercooked or the batter being too doughy. One had the sole fish battered in sour cream and green onion. The taste of the sour cream and onion is prevalent in the batter. The fish is nice and flaky.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t recall whether halloumi <i>fish and chips</i> was on their menu when Brit and Chips was first opened. I only discovered the wonder of this firm, salty, squeaky middle-eastern cheese recently. You can do so much with this ingredient – pan-frying, grilling, deep-frying, etc… They did a great job in preparing the halloumi. It melds well with the smoky flavour of the chipotle batter. It’s a perfect dish for the vegetarians.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">If you’re craving some fish and chips in Montreal, Brit and Chips is the place to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><b>Brit and Chips - C</b></span><span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><b>ôte-des-Neiges</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">5536 Chemin de la </span><span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">C</span><span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">ôte-des-Neiges</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">Montreal, QC</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">H3T 1Y8</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">514-737-9555</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><a href="http://www.britandchips.com/">http://www.britandchips.com/</a></span></div>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/67/1730123/restaurant/Montreal/C-te-Des-Neiges/Brit-Chips-Montreal"><img alt="Brit & Chips on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1730123/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/montreal/brit-chips-1-montr%C3%A9al"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Brit & Chips on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16639937/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" class="nopin"/></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0Montreal, QC, Canada45.5016889 -73.56725599999998645.1440019 -74.215449499999991 45.859375899999996 -72.919062499999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681590553379755517.post-57394701962825622922015-05-22T23:43:00.001-07:002015-06-08T19:01:50.505-07:00Burgers n' Fries Forever - Your BFF in Downtown Ottawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE13EIoI1vg/VV3-MFwxEgI/AAAAAAAAE1A/Kw0eO69G89Q/s1600/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bhangover%2Bsecret%2Bmenu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Hangover Burger - Restaurant Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE13EIoI1vg/VV3-MFwxEgI/AAAAAAAAE1A/Kw0eO69G89Q/s640/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bhangover%2Bsecret%2Bmenu.jpg" title="The Hangover Burger - Restaurant Ottawa" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Psst... Did you know that Burgers N' Fries Forever, the restaurant located on Bank St. in Ottawa has a secret menu? <span style="line-height: 107%;">Only
when you click on the </span><i style="line-height: 107%;">Secret</i><span class="apple-converted-space" style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">tab
of their website that you uncover their crazy burger-and-fries concoctions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
had lunch with my fans V&W as they were the ones who recommended
this place. Burgers N’ Fries Forever serves local grass-fed halal beef, hand-cut PEI
potatoes, house-made sauces and local buns. Knowing all these informations
indicated on their website, you can already imagine how good their food is. The
fact that they hand-ground their own meat, it makes a major difference in the
texture of the beef patty. It is much more juicier than the ones found in
fast-food joint.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ns70hJ5AnEM/VV3-MX4gyeI/AAAAAAAAE08/SziqHxj-8vg/s1600/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bhangover%2Bsweet%2Bpotato%2Bfries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Hangover Burger and Sweet Potato Fries - Downtown Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ns70hJ5AnEM/VV3-MX4gyeI/AAAAAAAAE08/SziqHxj-8vg/s640/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bhangover%2Bsweet%2Bpotato%2Bfries.jpg" title="The Hangover Burger and Sweet Potato Fries - Downtown Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hangover Burger (1/4 pound beef, onion ring, cheese curds, bacon, fried egg) and Sweet Potato Fries</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ordered The Hangover not that I was drunk the previous night, but I like having an egg oozing all over the burger. It comes with a perfectly crisp onion rings, bacon and cheese curds. I ordered a side of sweet potatoes. I love how it is cut into long rectangle strips, then I can taste the mushy texture of the sweet potato while tasting the crunch of the exterior. Their BFF sauce is tangy, sweet and spicy. Simply an addictive sauce!</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g5rJDGUKLz0/VV3-MKxeBuI/AAAAAAAAE04/-_eg5U-g2-Q/s1600/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bonion%2Bring%2Bgarlic%2Baioli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Onion Rings" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g5rJDGUKLz0/VV3-MKxeBuI/AAAAAAAAE04/-_eg5U-g2-Q/s640/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bonion%2Bring%2Bgarlic%2Baioli.jpg" title="Onion Rings" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onion Rings</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 19.2600002288818px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The couple shared The Italiano burger. All the Italian flavours are packed into one burger. It's a perfect </span>marriage<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of pesto and grilled tomatoes in one bite. They also order a side of onion rings with a garlic aioli as well as a side of poutine. The amount of onion rings is quite generous and the garlic aioli has a pungent taste that makes you want to dip into the sauce with anything. I might be biased on the poutine since I’m from Montreal and ate the most poutine on </span><a href="http://mtlfoodpics.blogspot.ca/2014/02/poutine-week-2014-ottawagatineau.html" style="font-family: inherit;">Poutine Week 2014</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in Ottawa, but it was nothing special. The gravy is almost identical to the ones you can get in any fast-food joint. I would expect that they would distinguish themselves from the classics.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FZzValfB-f4/VV3-NKHCWtI/AAAAAAAAE1I/ah9PkBTYt3w/s1600/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bpoutine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Poutine - Downtown Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FZzValfB-f4/VV3-NKHCWtI/AAAAAAAAE1I/ah9PkBTYt3w/s640/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bforever%2Bpoutine.jpg" title="Poutine - Downtown Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic Poutine</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O153kBqIeWY/VV3-NVQ8WaI/AAAAAAAAE1Q/o_INn3FBd-g/s1600/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bthe%2Bitaliano%2Bsecret%2Bmenu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Italiano Burger - Secret Menu Ottawa" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O153kBqIeWY/VV3-NVQ8WaI/AAAAAAAAE1Q/o_INn3FBd-g/s640/burgers%2Bn%2Bfries%2Bthe%2Bitaliano%2Bsecret%2Bmenu.jpg" title="The Italiano Burger - Secret Menu Ottawa" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Italiano - Pesto Mayo, Grilled Garlic Tomato, Provolone</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">All in all, I’ll definitely come back to try the rest of their secret menu such as The Quebecois (poutine burger) or The Chimp (Cheeseburger inside a Poutine). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><b>Burgers N' Fries Forever</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">329 Bank St.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">Ottawa, ON</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">K2P 1X7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;">613-230-3456</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.2600002288818px;"><a href="http://www.burgersnfriesforever.com/">http://www.burgersnfriesforever.com/</a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/250/1742326/restaurant/Centretown-Downtown/Burgers-n-Fries-Forever-BFF-Ottawa"><img alt="Burgers n' Fries Forever (BFF) on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1742326/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; width: 130px;" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/ottawa/burgers-n-fries-forever-bff-ottawa"><img alt="Click to add a blog post for Burgers n' Fries Forever (BFF) on Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16665431/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" class="nopin" /></a> Victorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01282136590721912150noreply@blogger.com0Ottawa, ON, Canada45.4215296 -75.69719309999999344.7022191 -76.99357959999999 46.1408401 -74.4008066